Editor’s Note:
ZNK sincerely thanks all contributors and readers who participated in this important and highly engaging debate on Dual Citizenship and Hadhi Maalumu. What began as a simple exchange sparked by a newspaper clipping carrying the headline “Wadau Wafunguka Faida Uraia Pacha” - accompanied by the handsome faces of three patriots from Texas, Atlanta, and South Carolina - eventually evolved into a thoughtful national conversation touching on identity, constitutional rights, political strategy, history, and the future relationship between Tanzania and its diaspora.
We especially appreciate the respectful intellectual engagement demonstrated by Dr. Shaaban Fundi and the various concerned readers who contributed their perspectives with passion, patriotism, and civility.
At this stage, ZNK believes the major arguments from the different sides of the debate have now been sufficiently presented before the public. We therefore consider this particular discussion closed for now, while fully recognizing that the broader national conversation itself will undoubtedly continue in different forums and at different times.
But, it is with sorrow and dismay that we have been branded a Marxist-Leninist blog by one of the anonymous contributors. The truth is that we neither face East nor West - we face Tanzania only. As a non-partisan platform, we remain committed to publishing diverse viewpoints fairly and responsibly.
As always, ZNK will continue to encourage respectful dialogue on matters of public importance.
/ZNK
By Dr. Shaaban Fundi
I sincerely thank the concerned reader for engaging this discussion respectfully and thoughtfully. We both agree that Tanzanians abroad remain part of the national family. Our disagreement is about strategy, timing, and whether Tanzanians abroad should continue settling for temporary arrangements instead of pursuing full constitutional recognition.
The debate over Hadhi Maalumu did not begin yesterday. It has existed since the Constitutional Assembly debates around 2012. For more than 12 years, Tanzanians abroad have heard promises, consultations, and political assurances — yet no meaningful constitutional recognition or permanent legal protections have emerged.
At some point, political realism must also confront political reality: if a strategy has produced little progress for over a decade, perhaps it is time to reconsider the strategy itself.
The issue before us now is timing.
Tanzania is once again approaching an inevitable constitutional reform process. Constitutional moments are precisely when nations define identity, belonging, and citizenship rights. So why should Tanzanians abroad continue investing energy into a temporary “special status” arrangement instead of directly pursuing full constitutional citizenship protections in a new constitution?
This is not political impatience.
This is political timing.
Citizenship is not an investment permit, residency convenience, or tourism incentive package.
Citizenship is identity, ancestry, and belonging.
A Tanzanian born to Tanzanian parents does not stop being Tanzanian simply because life led them abroad or because they acquired another citizenship elsewhere in the world.
That is why many of us believe the new constitution must clearly state:
If you are born to one or two Tanzanian parents — whether inside or outside Tanzania — you are automatically and permanently a citizen of Tanzania.
This position is neither radical nor unprecedented. Almost all of Tanzania’s neighbors within both the East African Community and SADC have already adopted dual citizenship policies for their natural-born citizens, and no major national crisis has emerged from doing so.
In fact, today a Kenyan, Ugandan, or South Sudanese holding an American or British passport can still retain their original citizenship, acquire an East African passport, and enjoy the full benefits of East African Community integration.
Ironically, a Tanzanian by birth or lineage who acquires foreign citizenship loses those same rights because of Tanzania’s restrictive citizenship laws. In some cases, a Ugandan with a British passport can enjoy more rights and protections in Tanzania than a Tanzanian-born individual with a foreign passport.
That contradiction alone should force us to rethink our approach.
Many countries have already adopted a balanced model: dual citizenship for natural-born citizens by birth, blood, or lineage, while foreigners seeking citizenship through naturalization may still be required to renounce prior allegiances if the state considers it necessary.
Tanzanians abroad are not asking to become “special visitors” in the land of their ancestors.
They are asking for full constitutional recognition as permanent members of the Tanzanian nation.
And if constitutional reforms are indeed approaching, then now is precisely the right moment to pursue that goal directly rather than postponing it for another decade of promises.
By Dr. Shaaban Fundi.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Shaaban Fundi earned an M.S. in Education from Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Towson University, both in the Baltimore, Maryland area. He also holds a B.S. degree in Marine Biology and Microbiology from University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Fundi successfully defended his PhD in Education at Mercer University, concentrating on curriculum design, educational research methodologies, evaluation, and assessment. He is also actively involved in a number of philanthropic projects back home in Tanzania.
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