Wanasiasa wa Zanzibar Walipendekeza Muungano na Nchi za Bara Kabla ya Mapinduzi

“…It is the object of Zanzibar to strengthen the many ties it possesses with both Africa and the East. To this end we subscribe to the principles of the Bandung Declaration of 1955 and of the Charter of the Organization of African Unity framed at Addis Ababa this year. Zanzibar has particularly close relationship with the other territories of East Africa, and it is our intention to continue this in friendship and co-operation, whether inside or out of a form of an East African Federation. In this respect I am particularly glad that Kenya with which Zanzibar has so many close connections is being welcomed into this Assembly at the same time. At this proud moment in our history I may be permitted to quote Shakespeare and say: 'We are two lions littered in one day.'"

Hotuba ya Waziri Mkuu wa Zanzibar, Muhammed Shamte Hamad, Umoja wa Mataifa, 1963

Kuanzia mwaka 1957 kulikuwa na mgawanyiko mkubwa kati ya vyama vya siasa vya ZNP na ASP vya huko Zanzibar. Mgawanyiko huu haukuwa mpya na ulikuwa na chanzo kirefu cha kihistoria, lakini ulijitokeza wazi wakati wa harakati za kudai uhuru na kuunda Serikali ya mpito. Ushindi wa ASP kwenye uchaguzi wa mwaka 1957 (japo haukuwa mkubwa kuwawezesha kuunda Serikali) uliwafanya viongozi wa ZNP, akiwemo Ali Muhsin, kupanga mkakati mpya wa kupata ushindi katika uchaguzi ujao. Mwaka 1958 na 1959 kulikuwa na matukio kadhaa ya vurugu kati ya wafuasi wa vyama hivi viwili, na matokeo yake ni baadhi ya viongozi wa ASP kuamua kujitenga mwaka 1959 na kuunda chama kingine ZPPP.

Viongozi wa PAFMECA (Pan-African Freedom Movement for East and Central Africa)- Julius Nyerere, Tom Mboya, Kanyama Chiume na Francis Khamis- walijitahidi sana kujaribu kupunguza misuguano na chuki kati ya ZNP, ZPPP, na ASP. Mwaka 1959 waliwaunganisha ili wadai uhuru kwa nguvu moja.  Nyerere aliongea kwenye mkutano wa kupatanisha vyama vya visiwani mwezi wa April mwaka 1959. Inasemekana zaidi ya watu 50,000 walikuja kusikiliza hotuba hiyo na walishangilia wito wa Nyerere wa ushirikiano wa vyama vya visiwani. Jitihada kubwa zilizofanywa na Francis Khamis na Kanyama Chiume kwa niaba ya PAFMECA kama wapatanishi, zilisaidia kutuliza vuruga za mapigano kati ya wafuasi wa vyama tofauti mwaka 1959. Hata hivyo hisia za kutokuaminiana ziliongezeka, na mwaka 1960 kulitokea vurugu na matokeo yake baadhi ya watu walipoteza maisha. Ghasia kubwa zaidi zilitokea mwaka 1961. Wafuasi wa vyama tofauti walishambuliana na takriban watu 70 walikufa, zaidi ya 300 walijeruhiwa, na sio chini ya watu 700 walikamatwa.  Magazeti ya Agozi, Afrika Kwetu na Mwongozi yaliandika nakala ambazo zilikuwa zinaonyesha chuki iliyopo kati ya makundi tofauti. Waingereza wakaamua kuleta meli ya kivita na wanajeshi 700 kutoka Kenya na Tanganyika, na walirusha ndege za kivita (jet fighters) huko Zanzibar ili kujaribu kutuliza fujo na mauaji.  

Japokuwa kulikuwa na hali hiyo ya machafuko na kutoaminiana, kati ya mwaka 1960 na mwaka 1963, kuna ushahidi kwamba viongozi wa kisiasa huko Zanzibar walikuwa na mawazo na mipango ya kujiunga na nchi za Bara.  Nyerere alitangaza alipokuwa Umoja wa Mataifa Julai mwaka 1961 kwamba angependa kuunda Shirikisho (Federation) la Afrika Mashariki kati ya Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda na “pengine” Zanzibar.  Alisema hayo sio muda mrefu baada ya vurugu zilizotokea Zanzibar.  Hii inaonyesha kwamba kulikuwa na maongezi na baadhi ya viongozi wa Zanzibar kuhusu mpango huo.  Hayo maongezi huru yalitokea pia ndani ya ZNP na ASP ambao walijadili uwezekano wa kuungana na nchi za Bara. Serikali iliyoundwa na wafuasi wa ZNP na ZPPP mwezi Julai mwaka 1963 ilitangaza wazi mpango wao wa kudai uhuru wa Zanzibar ndani ya Jumuiya ya Madola, na nia yao ya kujiunga na Shirikisho la nchi za Afrika Mashariki. Katika sherehe za uhuru wa Kenya, Desemba 13, 1963, viongozi wa Kenya walitangaza nia yao ya kuwa na muungano pamoja na Zanzibar, Tanganyika na Uganda.  Huu mtazamo wa viongozi wa Kenya ulitokana na maongezi yaliyokuwa yanafanywa kati ya viongozi wao na viongozi wa Zanzibar na Tanganyika.  Hali kadhalika, mwezi Oktoba mwaka 1963, viongozi wa Zanzibar, Kenya na Uingereza walikubaliana kusaini mkataba ulioipa Kenya ardhi yenye ukubwa wa maili 175 kutoka mpaka wa Tanganyika hadi Mto Tana, na visiwa vya Lamu, Manda, Patta na Siu.  Sultani Jamshid wa Zanzibar, Waziri Mkuu wa Zanzibar Mohammed Shamte Hamad na Rais Jomo Kenyatta walisaini huo mkataba.  Hotuba ya Waziri Mkuu wa Zanzibar, Hamad, aliyotoa Umoja wa Mataifa mwaka 1963 ilisema wazi mpango wa Zanzibar wa kujiunga na Ushirikisho wa Afrika Mashiriki. Huo mpango ulikua unajadiliwa na viongozi wa Zanzibar kabla ya Mapinduzi. 

Hivyo basi, maongezi ya muungano wa Afrika ya Mashariki yalikuwepo zaidi ya miaka miwili na nusu kabla ya Mapinduzi. Hii pia inaonyesha kwamba viongozi wa ZNP na ASP walikuwa wanafanya mpango wa kujiunga na ushirikisho wa Afrika Mashariki hata kabla ya uhuru wa Zanzibar Disemba 10, 1963. Hii ni kinyume na nadharia iliyojengeka kwamba Muungano kati ya Zanzibar na Tanganyika wa Aprili 1964 ulitokana na mawazo yaliyokuja baada ya mazingira mapya yaliyotokana na Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar ya Januari mwaka 1964 na kwamba mawazo kama hayo hayakuwapo kabla ya kipindi hicho

Azaria Mbughuni ni Profesa Msaidizi Spelman College, USA. (azmbughuni@gmail.com).  Twitter @AzariaTZ

© Azaria Mbughuni

East African Federation: Long Live the Spirit of Pan-Africanism

Lest we forget..
In November 1958, Nyerere spoke to Mason Sears, the US representative to the UN Trusteeship Council to Tanganyika about regional Federation.  At the time, Nyerere and Kawawa were preparing to attend the All-African Peoples' Conference (AAPC) in Accra, Ghana and had already worked with other regional leaders to establish the Pan African Freedom Movement for East and Central Africa (PAFMECA); AAPC was scheduled to meet in December of 1958.  It was clear at the time that the spirit of Pan-Africanism was already alive and growing. During the discussions with Sears, Nyerere played down the possibility that he would become involved in the affairs of Kenya, Uganda, or Central African Federation.  However, he did inform Sears that Tanganyika was posed to play an important political role in the region once it became independent. A little over a year later, Tanganyika took one of the first steps in proposing regional Federation long before independence. Nyerere shocked the world by announcing through BBC television program in January 1, 1960, that Tanganyika, Kenya, and Uganda should join together in a Federation.  Shortly afterwards, TANU approved a proposal to postpone Tanganyika’s independence in order to join in a Federation with other countries. Nyerere announced in June 1960 that he was willing to delay Tanganyika’s independence for up to 6 months in order to allow the formation of East Africa Federation.  Nyerere stated in Nairobi after leaving the Conference of Independent African States in Ethiopia that: “we want to build unity, and that is why I am in favor of achieving independence on a federal basis.” It is no surprise that East African leaders signed a Federation declaration in June 1963. The declaration stated:

"Our meeting today is motivated by the spirit of Pan-Africanism, and not by mere selfish regional interests...   This is our day of action in the cause of the ideals that we believe in, and the unity and freedom for which we have suffered and sacrificed so much.... We share a common past, and are convinced of our common destinies. We have a common history, culture, and customs which make our unity both logical and natural."

The East African Federation initiative was also designed to put pressure on Britain to grant early independence to Kenya and Uganda and avert insecurity brought by ethnic division. During talks between Tom Mboya and Nyerere in July 1960, Nyerere told Mboya that Federation would help overcome ethnic division in Kenya and Uganda while Tanganyika would benefit from Kenya's advance services and better qualified personnel.

Nyerere also campaigned tirelessly for a union with Rwanda and Burundi.  He spoke to an American diplomat in January 1961 to see if the US government would support union between Tanganyika, Rwanda, and Burundi. One of the reasons he gave for this union was worries of a civil war.  Nyerere went on to make a case for a union with Rwanda and Burundi to the British Prime Minister Macmillan. The initiative for union with Burundi and Rwanda did not receive support from Britain or the US; it does, however, illustrate Nyerere's Pan African vision.  Nyerere wanted to set up regional federation first and eventually a United States of Africa.

There is power in unity. Division based on colonial boundaries, ethnic affiliation, religious background, or class, is a threat to our development.  We owe it to the future generations to build unity and understanding.  It is high time that we revisit this important question of unity if we are to remain relevant in the 21st century.  Long live the spirit of Pan-Africanism!

Azaria Mbughuni is an Assistant Professor of History at Spelman College, Atlanta, USA. (azmbughuni@gmail.com). Follow me on twitter @ AzariaTZ
© Azaria Mbughuni