Next Sunday, will be the ‘Saba Saba Day’ of the year 2019. ‘’Saba Saba’’ is the Kiswahili word for the ‘seventh day of the seventh month’ (of every year). That particular date is of immense political importance in the history of Tanzania; for the sole reason that it was precisely on that date, that the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), (the Political party that brought independence to our country) was born, way back in 1954. And it is indeed for that reason alone, that right from the year of independence in 1961, ‘Saba Saba Day’ has always, and consistently, been celebrated as a public holiday, in memory and commemoration of that historic event, which was the official ‘commencement date’ for the struggle for the country’s independence. It is, therefore, truly saddening for some of us, to witness the apparent ‘lack of care and attention’ for the political significance which is, or ought to be, associated with the said ‘Saba Saba Day’. Evidence of this lack of care and .That the political significance of ‘Saba Saba Day’ is being ignored and, even worse, being replaced by other mundane events which, although of great benefit to the country commercially, but have no political significance whatsoever. I am here referring to the dominating “Trade Fair” that is being held annually in Dar es Salaam during the period leading to ‘Saba Saba Day’ itself. That period is now generally known as “Musimu wa Saba Saba’’. And, even worse, ‘Saba Saba Day’ is being sacrilegiously renamed “Siku ya Wafanya biashara”! Thus, alas, the historic and great political significance of the “Saba Saba Day’’ of yester year is, most unfortunately, being rapidly ignored and forgotten! For example, a recent (2016) educational publication titled “The comprehensive Secondary School ATLAS for Tanzania” (Longman publishers (T) Ltd, Dar es Salaam), at page 3 thereof, this publication gives a list of Tanzania’s public holidays, and helpfully describes their significance, namely that “they represent the history of our country”. But, while it correctly describes the 8th of August as “Farmers Day”, it most unfortunately describes “Saba Saba Day” merely as “Trade Fair Day”! In my considered opinion, this emerging trend of looking at ‘Saba Saba Day’ merely in terms of the ‘Trade Fair and exhibitions’ in Dar es Salaam City, and thereby completely ignoring its original objective and purpose of celebrating the date of commencement of the struggle for the country’s independence, is truly unfortunate. Surely, the historical significance of ‘Saba Saba Day’ cannot be that it is a “Trade Fair Day” as wantonly projected by the educational publication referred to above.It is indeed for that reason, and the fact that we are now right in the middle of this year’s “musimu wa Saba Saba Trade Fair season, that I was motivated to select this matter for today’s article; in order that, in the form of this open letter, I may make a fervent and passionate plea to the relevant CCM authorities , to please restore the former political glory of ‘Saba Saba Day’; in order to preserve that important piece of the country’s history for the benefit of the current and future generations of Tanzanians.
The importance of a country’s history.
The dictionary definition of the word “History” is given as follows: “The study of important past events, especially relating to the political, social, and economic development of a country, or nation”. Now, right from the time of the country’s independence in 1961, our country’s political and socio-economic development has all along been successfully managed by the ruling party, starting with the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) from December 1961 to February 1977, when TANU merger with the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) of Zanzibar, to form the present Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM); which has also continued to be the ruling party to date. That is the reason why TANU’s birth date anniversary, i.e. the 7th day of July of every year, has traditionally been given a ‘place of honor’ in our political calendar, by observing it as a public holiday.
The need to recognize TANU’s contribution.
It is, of course, realized that in today’s objective conditions of multi-party politics, the general role and significance of individual political parties has vastly changed. Whereas during the period of the Constitutional ‘Single- party’ political dispensation when TANU was the ruling party; the situation was totally different. The ‘One- Party’ Constitution of 1965 spelt out clearly as follows: - (i) There shall be one political party in Tanzania. (ii) Until the union of the Tanganyika African National Union with the Afro-Shirazi Party (which united party shall constitute the one political party), the said party shall, in and for Tanganyika, be the Tanganyika African National Union, and in and for Zanzibar, be the Afro-Shirazi Party.
(iii) All political activities in Tanzania, other than that of the organs of State of the United Republic, the organs of the Executive and the Legislature for Zanzibar, or such Local Government authorities as may be established by or under any law of the appropriate Legislative authority, shall be conducted by, or under, the auspices of the party” . Those were TANU’s constitutional role and functions during that period in which, apparently, the party was able to discharge exceedingly well , under the distinguished leadership of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the party’s national Chairman. In a book titled “Tanzania and Nyerere”, published by Orbis Books in New York in 1976, The authors described TANU’s dominant status, in the following words: “Within Tanzania today, TANU is politically all-powerful, and the principal agent of change . . . Since it is now recognized constitutionally as the only legal political party on Mainland Tanzania, TANU is also the primary instigator of Government policy in all social, economic, and political fields”.
Mwalimu Nyerere himself, in one of his numerous writings, presented the then prevailing political situation in the following words: “Where there is only one political party, and that party is identified
with the nation as a whole, thefoundations of democracy are firmer than they can ever be in a situation where you have two or more parties, each representing only a section of the community”.
It is important to note the statement that at that material time, “TANU was identified with the nation as a whole”. Evidence of this bold assertion is to be found in the relevant provision of the TANU Constitution, which provided as follows:- Every citizen of Tanzania who has attained the age of eighteen years , and who subscribes to the beliefs, aims and objectives of the party as expressed in its Constitution shall, upon payment of the prescribed membership fee, be entitled to become a member of the party”. This, quite obviously, is totally different from today’s multi-party situation, wherein “each party represents only a section of the Community”. Thus, in today’s circumstances, the active role of all political parties (including CCM, the ruling party), has essentially been reduced to the level of ‘electoral organizations”. And in recognition and sincere acceptance of this fact, CCM dutifully amended its Constitution, so as to properly reflect its now changed role and functions, by introducing a new article 5 (1), which provides as follows: 5 : The aims and objectives of the party shall therefore be as follows:- (1)To participate, with the aim of winning, both in the national and the Local Authorities elections in Tanzania Mainland, as well as in Zanzibar, in order to form the Government at the relevant levels in both parts of the United Republic”.
It may indeed, be difficult for today’s generation of Tanzanians, to fully understand and appreciate TANU’s significant contributions in that regard, and particularly, in respect of TANU’s success in eliminating the ethnic problems which have effectively prevented many other African countries from developing as one unified nation. I can cite here just one example, that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In one of his books, which is titled “There was a country”; the renowned Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, recounts the long and pretty rough road along which Nigeria has travelled since its independence, in the following words: - “In 1960 when Nigeria gained its independence from British rule, it was like a giant aircraft on the runway. The country had a large population, with many educated people; plus many natural resources, including oil. The national Movement which was agitating for independence had tried to establish the idea that the words “nation” and “tribe”, are in opposition to each other; a strategy which they believed was important for building a new unified nation, But, unfortunately, the politicization of ethnicity after independence created a vicious Regional power struggle. The fear of domination of one Region by another, was practically everywhere". Achebe also recalls what he calls “the war between brothers”, otherwise known as the ‘Biafra war’, which almost destroyed Nigeria as one nation. In that respect therefore, Tanzanians have a binding obligation to at least appreciate the successful efforts which were exerted by TANU, under Mwalimu Nyerere’s distinguished leadership, that led to the elimination of what could have been the ‘ethnicity problem’ in our country in view of the multiplicity of divergent tribes, by continuing to commemorate the party’s annual birth date, namely ‘Saba Saba Day’
A plea for the restoration of Saba Saba Day’s political glory.
It was, indeed, very pleasant and refreshing for many of us, when we were given another opportunity to witness one such event when, during the year of the fiftieth anniversary of independence in 2011, CCM decided to commemorate TANU’s birth date in a manner that had not been seen for many consecutive years. On that occasion, Chama cha Mapinduzi commendably organized certain special celebration events, to commemorate ‘Saba Saba Day’ (TANU’s birth date); when a mammoth convention of CCM grass-roots cadres was held in Dar es Salaam, which was also attended by the CCM National Chairman, Hon. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, plus all the national, Dar es Salaam Regional and District level party leaders . One of the 17 TANU founder members (the only one who was still alive); was invited to give an account of what actually happened at their founding meeting that was held on 7th July, 1954, as well as about the early difficult days of TA NU’s struggle for independence; an assignment which he carried out brilliantly, to the great delight and excitement of all those present.
I am therefore closing my presentation with this fervent plea to the relevant CCM authorities : please restore TANU’s birth date to its original political glory; so that, while the Government continues with its obviously lucrative business of the ‘Trade Fair’ and the commercial exhibitions in Dar es Salaam; CCM will be doing ‘its own thing’ on Saba Saba Day, in commemoration of that historic TANU’s birth date.
piomsekwa @gmail,com / 0754767576.
Source: Daily News and Cde Msekwa Himself