Why Tanganyika got her independence earlier than her neighbours ?

Decolonization through Constitutional Means in Tanganyika.



The struggle for independence in Tanganyika took a peaceful means (Constitution means) the struggle was led by Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) as a mass political party after changing its name from Tanganyika African Association (TAA) and adopting new objective in 1954.




Objective of TANU

To prepare the people of Tanganyika for self-independent government

To destroy tribalism and develop national unity for the whole people of Tanganyika

To struggle for democratic government and to have representative in local districts and central government.

To break up racialism and discrimination among the people

To cooperate with other African nationalistic parties from other African colonies against colonialism.

To oppose the colonial government with its policies of land alienation policies and the entry of more settlers in Tanganyika.

To encourage the people to join trade unions and cooperative union to struggle for their rights.

To help the peasants press to colonial government in getting better to their products.

Problems that faced TANU



TANU faced many problems during the struggle for independence, such problems included,

i. The vastness of the country and lack of adequate transport and communication network. This hindered easy movement of the leaders to convince the people, it was difficult to go around the country to establish branches and coordinate the members to support the movement.

ii. Opposition from the colonial government. The colonial government prevented the civil servants from joining the party and thus diminishing the number of members, also burned the political party in Morogoro district, Kondoa and Iringa in 1956, Usambara in 1957. In same year the burning had been extended to eleven districts which had members who protested against oppressive government policies.

iii. Misunderstanding between the party members which erupted in 1958where by a group of members in the meeting held in Tabora did not agree with a moderate policies of the party, they were after a mole militant Africanist stand and eventually they broke away and formed African National Congress (ANC) under ZuberiMtemvu.

iv. Opposition from United Tanganyika Party (UTP) which formed in 1958 under Martin Kayamba. The party was sponsored by British government and had great supports from chiefs, white men that Tanganyika will proceed to be affiliated to colonialists. It made a lot of effort to transfer power to TANU.

v. Shortage of money. The party was made by members who had low income. Therefore it was not easy for them to finance party activities during the struggle for independence.

vi. The rise of all Muslim National Union of Tanganyika (AMNUT) as a opposition party. This was another party created by demanding that “Tanganyika will not be independent until the Muslims have equal education level with the non-Muslims population”. However under TANU, Tanganyika was able to attain her independence at an earliest stage as compared with the rest of African countries in the south of Sahara.




Factors that led Tanganyika to get her independence earlier.

• Good leadership of the party under the late J.K Nyerere. He united all people under the single political party to fight for independence. He discouraged and opposed racialist policies which could divide the people in the process of fighting for independence.

• The use of Swahili language with common word like “Uhuru”. This made the people to understand the mission/aims of the party hence many people ranging from the workers in towns to the peasant and the rural areas joined and supported the party.

• The role of the party links with international organization such as UNO. TANU leader J.K Nyerere sought support for his party by visiting the United Nation headquarters in New York. He presented the grievances which were accepted by the UNO. This made UNO to put more pressure to the British government to grant independence to the people.

• Effective means of communication, the Swahili language which was spoken by majority member of the people of Tanganyika helped to unite all the people in the country to fight for their independence. Example, Politicians could communicate with the colonial subjects directly.

• The nature of economic structure. Tanganyika unlike Zanzibar and Kenya lagged behind in terms of economy thus there was no strengthened settler economy and also strong resistance from the whites.

• TANU was mass political party hence many people regarding their ethnic groups joined and supported the party. This was centrally to the political parties of Kenya and Uganda which based on tribalism of region.

• The role of Richard Turnbull since his appointment as the British governor in 1958 helped Tanganyika to get independence earlier. Turnbull soon won confidence of Africans people and Nyerere became his friend with whom he discussed on the future government eg. When the Nationalists leaders presented their demand to the government they were more considered than in other countries like Kenya and Uganda