Independance

Tanganyika attained full independance on December 9, 1961. Not one life was taken. This really was a true example of what could be done with unity and cooperation and was also a glorious start for the nation. Zanzibar's independance did not come so smoothly. Although under British control the Arabs effectively ruled Zanzibar and they too wanted independance. Add to this discord between the Asians, Africans and the Arabs themselves and you had a recipe for revolution - and that is exactly what happened. After two years of unrest and in an effort to speed the process of self government along, the Pan African Freedom Movement for East, Central and Southern Africa brought the opposing parties together and self-government was granted in July 1963.

Full independance from Britain was finally granted to Zanzibar on 10 December 1963. Discontent followed and in January 1964, after violence and civil unrest, the ruling Sultan and his government were ousted. The major driving force for the revolution came from a radical organisation called UMMA, under the leadership of Abdul Rahman Mohammed, in association with Kenyan, John Okello. On 11 January 1964 they seized control of Zanzibar Town and declared a new Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. On 26 April, 1964 Zanzibar, Pemba and Tanganyika joined to become the United Republic of Tanzania. As part of the constitution the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar would retain a level of autonomy and the President of Zanzibar would also be the Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

When Tanzania achieved its independance it was the poorest and least developed country in East Africa. Nyerere was concerned that those in power would enrich themselves at the expense of the rural Africans and to prevent this he made Tanzania into a one party state along socialist lines. This did not make him popular with western leaders. Nyerere's outspoken opposition against Rhodesia's unilateral decalaration of independance earned British ire who promptly cut off all aid to Tanzania. Nyerere's support for nationalist factions in South Africa, Mozambique and Angola also earned Tanzania the enmity of the ruling powers of those countries, especially when he allowed both the ANC and Frelimo to operate from within Tanzania's borders.

Tanzania also received attention from Idi Amin - the Ugandan leader famous for his murderous regime - when Nyerere granted asylum to several Ugandans including Milton Obote and Yoweri Museveni. Amin invaded northwestern Tanzania in October 1978 and bombed Bukoba and Musoma. In 1979 Nyerere put together a relatively small Tanzanian force and responded by invading Uganda and toppling Amin from power. Ironically this action earned him condemnation by other African leaders - despite Amin being the initial aggressor. It also drained Tanzania economically as no financial compensation was received - neither from the West nor from any other African country.

Meanwhile on Zanzibar matters were far from settled. Zanzibaris had not accepted the union with Tanganyika and unrest continued. Abeid Karume, the first President of Zanzibar, was assassinated in 1972 and succeeded by Aboud Jumbe. A few years later, in an effort to subdue the ongoing unrest resulting from the merger with the mainland, Nyerere authorised the formation of a one party state into a new party called Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) or Party of the Revolution. The merger was ratified in April 1977 and although there are multi-party elections today, CCM remains the dominant party in Tanzanian politics.