LET’S BUILD ON SUCCESSES, LEARN FROM OUR FAILURES
Today, December 9, 2021, Tanzania celebrates a memorable 60th anniversary dating back to December 9, 1961 when the Mainland part of the United Republic secured political independence from British rule. Known as “Tanganyika,” the country was administered by the United Kingdom (UK) in various guises for 45 years to 1961.
Initially administered under a military occupation regime from 1916 as World War-I (1914-18) was drawing to an end, the territory was formalised into a League of Nations mandate under British rule on July 20, 1922.
Then, after World War II (1939-45), Tanganyika was administered by the UK as a UN Trustee Territory from 1946. This was after the UN succeeded the League of Nations as the world’s custodian of peace and stability.
The UK stayed at the job until midnight on December 8, 1961 when, at the stroke of midnight, the country was officially granted political independence by Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.
In the words of the founder of Tanzanian nationalism and its iconic leader, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, political independence from foreign rule meant that we could make our own mistakes in governing ourselves without fearing admonition from alien rulers.
Indeed, we must admit that, as an independent nation within the comity of nations, we have made numerous mistakes in the last 60 years of our political independence.
But, it must also be said in all honesty that we have made commendable decisions that have resulted in a positive impact in terms of socioeconomic development down the years.
According to government statistics, for example, the number of officially-registered primary schools has grown from 3,270 on Independence in 1961 to 18,546 this year, while secondary schools increased from only 41 to 5,460 in the same period.
Secondary school enrolment
And, while only 4,432 pupils were enrolled for secondary education in 1961, the enrolment climbed to 803,085 pupils this year.
Granted that Education is fundamental to meaningful and sustainable development across the board, this is a relatively phenomenal achievement for our country.
In the early years of political independence, Mwalimu Nyerere identified three public enemies as major hurdles to all-inclusive, sustainable socioeconomic development in young, independent nation-states like Tanzania: Ignorance; Poverty and assorted Diseases.
Although the Nyerere Government (1961-1985) prioritised “war” on the three maladies, these enemies to meaningful development are still far from being surmounted in Tanzania – let alone the government accomplishing the near-miraculous: total eradication.
While illiteracy rates virtually plummeted under Mwalimu Nyerere’s rule – and Tanzania attained a lower-middle income status only a year or so ago – diseases are still formidable, compounded by maladies the likes of HIV/Aids and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Be that as it may, we have now come of age, and have no option but to learn from the 60-year experience gained from our political independence, and build on our successes.
We must also double and redouble our efforts at surmounting the challenges that arise so that we will do much, much better in the next 60 years.
It can be done… So, let’s get it done.
