Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIANS yesterday marked 57th Union Anniversary between Mainland and Zanzibar, with scholars and veteran politicians stressing peace and stability in the country that will bring positive socio-economic impact on both sides.
The historic day was marked by the Union Forum held in Dodoma, where retired politician, leaders, academicians, and religious leaders expressed hopes that the Union will continue to be cherished for the interest of present and future generations.
Speaking at the forum, Zanzibar National Chairman of the Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC) Hamad Rashid Mohamed said the issue of peace and stability, form the first of all the foundations of development in Tanzania.
“The main goal and priority should be to strengthen our Union and that is not the issue of political parties, it is a matter of the people of the two countries. The Union belongs to the people and not to political parties,” he said.
Mr Mohamed, who was among the first Members of Parliament representing South Pemba in 1977, said the Union was necessary to act as shock absorber especially during difficult times.
Zanzibar Minister of State in the Office of Second Vice-President Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed said the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar was historic and did not start in 1964, it existed before the revolution and that is because of the interaction of the people on both sides.
“This is evident from our liberation movement that there was a great deal of cooperation from the Tanganyika African Association (TAA) and the Afro Shiraz party,” he said He added: “Everyone should make a sincere commitment to maintain our Union, this starts from the grassroots level and not only for leaders. Tanzanians should cherish the benefits of the Union, instead of simply dwelling on its challenges which can be ironed out.”
Dr Mohamed reiterated that leaders of Zanzibar and those of the Union government have plans in place to address those challenges.
“We started with 25 challenges and already 15 have been addressed, so we will continue to look for solutions for the remaining ones. The Mainlanders now travel to Zanzibar to sell or buy goods. In the same vein, Zanzibaris come to the Mainland for business activities and there are, of course, inter-marriages,” he explained.
Earlier, Minister for State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) Selemani Jafo speaking at the event said the identity of Tanzanians lays in the Union thus everyone has a great responsibility to celebrate it.
He said the conference aimed at helping Tanzanians understand the history of the Union and its political, economic and social benefits.
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said for Tanzania to develop and nurture the Union is to learn its history that is why the late President John Magufuli encouraged the history subject to be taught in schools, so that students can learn crucial things about the nation.
“The benefits of the union are many on both sides today you cannot set boundaries between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The fifth constitutional changes of 1985 erased the word Tanzania islands and restored Tanzania Zanzibar, so according to our constitution, the partners of this union are Tanzania Mainland (Tanganyika) and Tanzania Zanzibar,” he elaborated Prof Kabudi further said Tanzania has grown at the forefront of overseeing other forms of integration and it’s now in the process of forming the Confederation of East Africa.
“Our Union is one of the most outstanding and exemplary in the world and Africa because we have seen similar unions disintegrate. Many nations have seen their union fall apart such as Ghana, Mali and Guinea, Senegal and Gambia, Egypt and Syria,” he explained Expounding further, he said Tanzania is still an example of a voluntary Union that remains solid and the secret is political will, solidarity, cooperation, acceptance and preservation of special interest of Zanzibar because the union is also asymmetrical and that is why Zanzibar has been given minority veto right in the constitution
