MAINLAND, ISLES UNION IN THE SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN

By Frank Mwaisumbe, The Citizen Reporter Dodoma. Union between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar was once again on the spotlight from legislators who are meeting in Dodoma for the budget session.Just like in the previous budget session when the MPs got the chance to debate the vice president’s budget, this time around MPs from both parts of the union scrutinised the current status of the union. Some legislators complained that there was unequal representation and resources allocation between the two countries while some went as far as to ask the government to open the articles of the union documents which they claimed have been kept secret.  A ReferendumMs Manamrisho Abama (Special Seat Chadema) urged the government to hold a referendum so that people from both sides of the country could decide whether they want to continue with the union or not. With the prospect of the new constitution Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda hinted that the new constitutional review Act would allow the people to discuss the status of the Union. She argued that since there have been many problems regarding the union between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar it was time for the government to consider people’s views on the future of the union. Ms Abama was speaking during last week’s Prime Minister’s question and answer session. Responding to Ms Abama’s comment Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda ruled out any prospects for holding a referendum in the near future with regard to the status of the union. However, Mr Pinda said that any decision regarding the status of the union might be made in the new Constitution. “If what is in your mind (Ms Abama’s) is also in the majority of Tanzanians, you should wait for the right time that we would get to look at the status of the union in the new Constitution,” Mr Pinda said. Three governmentsWhen presenting the opposition camp statement on the State, minister in vice President’s Office Union shadow minister Pauline Gekul proposed the establishment of three governments as a solution to the union problems.Ms Gekul said the country should be comprised of three governments, one for Mainland, Zanzibar and the union government. She argued that the proposal if adapted and implemented would not only eliminate union problems but also help in fastening development in the two countries. “Power problems, hunger and others that would have been minimised if we had three governments; the Mainland government would deal with its problems, while the Isle government would be taking care of the Isles problems. The Union government would take care of the Union matters,” she posed.   However, the government dismissed the opposition camp’s proposal saying that the establishment of three governments will be a catalyst for splitting the union. Mr Samuel Sitta, who was acting as the head of government business in the Parliament said, the reintroduction of Tanganyika government for Mainland would create rivalry between the two governments. He said that currently, neither Zanzibar nor Tanzania Mainland contributed membership fees for being part of the United Republic of Tanzania. According to Mr Sitta introduction of membership fees, which would follow the introduction of three governments, would be a burden to both governments. He said experience had shown that various countries have been struggling to pay membership fees to their respective federations. “Currently Zanzibar owes the Tanzania National Electric Company (Tanesco) about Sh50 billion and pays less fees to access electricity, compared to their Mainland counterparts…Tell me, if Tanganyika stood as a separate government, do you think they would have agreed with the current situation?” he posed. Mr Sitta said that rather than calling for three governments, propagators of the idea should come out in the open and say whether they want the Union to be split or not. Reveal Union documentsSome legislators debating the vice President’s Office budget discussion appealed to the two governments to make public all documents related to the union formation on the April 26, 1964. Those who supported the idea argued that, the two governments should unveil the said documents in a move to end controversy over the circumstances under which the Union came into being. “Displaying the documents relating to the Union ‘contract’ is the only solution to the current complaints and outcries over the pact as signed by founding fathers Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume,” said Mr Tundu Lissu (MP Singida East-Chadema). He added that if the public will be made aware of what was agreed in the documents, they would have a chance to assess and rectify the shortcomings. He said the Union was formed under a certificate of emergency under pressure from big nations because of “the tense situation in the wake of the Zanzibar Revolution”. CUF legislator (Mkanyageni) Mohamed Habib Mnyaa, concurred, wondering why Sheikh Karume was not seen in the photograph showing Mwalimu Nyerere mixing soils from both sides of the United Republic to symbolize the two countries’ unification. “I need the relevant minister to explain this issue. Why doesn’t Karume, a key partner in the formation of the Union, appear in the photograph? My children have been asking me this question for many years: Why is it only Mwalimu Nyerere who is seen in the photograph?” he queried further. The New Constitution However, any controversy surrounding the union might be put to bed when people will finally get the chance to discuss the status of the union during the formation of the new Constitution. Prime minister Mr Mizengo Pinda said that the constitutional review Act would allow wananchi to discuss the status of the Union. However, he ruled out any possibility for referendum in the near future with regard to the status of the union.  He insisted that any decision regarding the status of the union must be made in the new Constitution. Mr Pinda’s statement is seen as a government u-turn regarding the union status. In the previous constitution review Bill, which was anonymously turned down by the public, barred reviewing of constitution. Mr Pinda also reiterated the government’s stand against the formation of three governments; one for the Mainland, for the Isles and the Union government, saying that the move will split the union. “I agree there are problems in the union, but there is no union in the world without problems…we should put our attention on how to solve these problems instead of thinking about splitting,” he said. The prime minister also sounded a warning to wananchi from both parts of the country. He said due to the demographic composition of Tanzania Mainland where there is more than 40 million people and Zanzibar where there is over 1 million people, there won’t be equal resource allocation. “Many unions in the world have collapsed after some of the countries in those unions started claiming that their fellows were being favoured, but logically resources are allocated with regard to the size of the population,” he said. Mr Mwaisumbe is a business and economics expert.  “mailto: Mwaisumbe.fra@gmail.com ”Mwaisumbe.fra@gmail.com