AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT Dr John Magufuli has granted amnesty to 3,973 prisoners as Tanzanians today commemorate the 56th anniversary of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Director of Presidential Communications, Gerson Msigwa, of the total number of beneficiaries of the amnesty, 3,717 inmates who were serving various sentences have been freed.
It was stated in the statement that the remaining 256 in the list had their death sentences commuted.
President Magufuli said he believes the pardoned inmates had reformed and that they will now be good citizens as they join their families.
The Head of State called on Tanzanians to reflect on the Union founded by the founders of the nation-Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Mr Abeid Amani Karume.
President Magufuli reminded the public to continue adhering to anti Covid-19 precautionary measures issued by health and government officials.
Meanwhile, a section of the public, including former leaders, have called upon Tanzanians to uphold the Union as a political merger beneficial to the people of both sides.
Speaking to the ‘Sunday News’ yesterday, former Prime Minister, Mr Fredrick Sumaye urged Tanzanians to keep continue cherishing the Union as the move was meant to benefit the interests of the citizens from both sides.
Mr Sumaye said that the unification of the two countries was an initiative that was voluntarily effected by the leaders from the two sides, saying citizens from both must cherish and safeguard it.
“Tanzanians have something good to feel proud of which was initiated, executed and bequeathed on us by our great leaders. For that matter, we have every reason to consolidate the Union,” Mr Sumaye stressed.
On the other hand, Mr Sumaye said the committee that oversees Union matters should work on unresolved issues in order to keep cherishing the Union and make it stronger.
A lecturer at the Centre for Foreign Relations, Mr Innocent Shoo, said the Union between the two sides was unique and a living example that the pan-Africanist dream is a possibility.
“As we mark this day, it is a good opportunity to undertake economic and trade activities, including investments, fair tax between us to bolster Tanzania to become a middle-income country,” he noted.
Mr Shoo further said that the government should also effectively harness the culture of public-private partnership to pave the way for economic growth and development.
He stressed that it was also important for Tanzanians to embrace the union for the good term of both parties.
An analyst in international politics and diplomacy, Mr Abbas Mwalimu from Tanzania Center for Foreign Relations told ‘Sunday News’ that every Tanzanian should play a role in enforcing the much-cherished ideals that include human dignity, unity and solidarity, stressing that “if all Tanzanians promote such values our Union will always be strong”.
He added that the government had a major role in strengthening the merger by working on Union challenges.
He also proposed for preparing a curriculum for primary education to enable children understand and appreciate the importance of the Union from an early age.
An Assistant Lecturer at the Tumaini University Dar es Salaam College (TUDARCo), Ms Rachel Yusuf Mariam, hailed the two governments for maintaining the union.
She said the Union had greater impact on the lives of Tanzanians of both sides and that it was crucial for every member of the society to honor and sustain it.
Moreover, the scholar was of a view that individual citizens had to support their government on Union matters as they are unifying people and expand scope of interaction between mainland and isles part.
“Zanzibar isn’t far from the mainland, there are a lot of benefits in terms of economic, social and political aspects; It’s a matter of being supportive to the government, putting the national interest ahead of everything,” she explained.
In an exclusive interview with, an Assistant Lecturer at Mzumbe University of Morogoro, Mr Jerome Kilumile, remarked that Union celebrations are a reminder of the benefits and positive impact the political merger has to the nation and the respect and trust on the founders who initiated it and implemented it.
“Citizens should continue strengthening love and unity amongst themselves so as to continue fortifying the Union between the two governments,” he commented, adding:
“The future of anything relies on collaboration, without it we cannot get far. We share resources and the shortcomings of the two nations are hidden in the shadows of each other’s strengths, giving each other support towards development.”
He advised the government to continue upholding its stand in strengthening the Union, adding that whenever challenges arise should be discussed positively to solve the shortcomings and further strengthen the union as it has been the case all along.
