Some like ‘Tanganyika’, to others, a name is no issue

Some readers are proposing that the name Tanganyika should be restored, but one says that the current identity, Zanzibar for the Isles and Tanzania Mainland should stick.

As far as another is concerned, though, what matters is prosperity; not a name, however sweet-sounding, or whatever nostalgic memories it invokes

Peter Akiiki, Moshi

Under the envisaged new constitution, the revival of the name Tanganyika for Tanzania Mainland the entity on one side of the Indian Ocean channel is immaterial.

What matters to me is that, we are a union comprising mainlanders and the islanders; we are part and parcel of it.

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I think every sensible person would to like to hear/see ‘Tanganyika’ brought back to life; so I would be quick to propose that ‘Tanganyika’ be restored for what is now known as Tanzania Mainland.

Victor Paul, Arusha

The three-tier government as proposed in the draft is actually a revival of the former Tanganyika and Zanzibar which united in 1964. The union founding fathers expected a union of one country Tanzania, in the long run. However of late that has become impossible.

 The Zanzibaris want their own identity as a country; and so, the mainland should revert to its former identity Tanganyika, so as to balance the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Each sovereign country will contribute resources fairly to the creation of the union. On this basis we will resolve forever, the current Union issues.

Erick Abel

We have our name, this is Tanganyika. There’s absolutely no need of being re-baptised.

Observer

I don’t want to be cynical, but as far as I am concerned, which part of the Union should be known by which name is, to quote William Shakespeare, ‘‘much ado about nothing’’.

Some people on the Mainland might be excited if the name Tanganyika were revived; more-so those who were born before 1964, and who feel that disappearance of the name, save for reference to the lake that bears it, amounted to a raw deal, or an unduly high sacrifice.

The focus, instead, should be on creating conducive conditions for building an economically solid country and a democratically strong nation. For however sweet-sounding the name Tanganyika may be, it’s sweetness would be diluted , if negative things like a high unemployment rate, crime, poaching and political chaos persist.