FTE - Foundation for Technical Education

Human presence in Tanzania could be traced back as far as 3.7 million years ago with the foot print of Hominids in the volcanic grounds at Laetoli : the discovery of the ape skull known as the Australopithecus boisei was dated 1.8 million years old in the Olduvai Gorge, another volcanic area in Northern Tanzania, with its upper layers showing evidence of the oldest presence of Homo Sapiens in the area.

More recently, 10 000 years ago, the Olduvai region was hosting hunter-gatherer communities that are believed to be Koisan speakers (clicks of Bushmam type).

4 000 years ago they were joined by Cushictic people coming from Ethiopia bringing with them basic techniques of agriculture.

100 BC, Bantu speaking people coming from Western Africa invaded the area, with more advanced agricultural skills, but also knowledge of iron working and steel production techniques.

Later and through the 18th century smaller group of Nilotic people coming from Southern Sudan migrated into present Tanzania.

The Coast of East Africa and the Zanzibar area was known since the early Greeks with important trading points as early as 400 BC.

Later, permanent settlements from Arabia and Persia established as traders along the coast. Trading of ivory, gold and goods, was taking place with countries as far away as India, and China.

In 1498, Vasco de Gama became the first European to reach East Africa and the Portuguese subdue the entire coast. It lasted until the 18th century when Arabs from Oman established a foothold in the region and developed commerce with westward routes.

In 1840, the Sultan of Oman moved its capital to Unguja (Zanzibar).

Then came the missionaries and explorers including German, Anglican and Catholic missions, the most famous explorer being David Livingston.

The colonial era started in 1884 with German, Carl Peters, concluding various “treaties” with local chiefs, and creating his own “German East Africa Company”.

In 1890 Germany and Great Britain signed and agreement establishing a British Protectorate over Zanzibar, and the main land of Tanzania becoming German East Africa. German colonial era brought western education and health care, as well as roads and rail networks. Nevertheless these benefited very little to Africans.

Local opposition culminated in the Maji rebellion in 1905, which was severely repressed.
The German era lasted until the end of the first world war which put German East Africa under British administration and renamed Tanganyika.
 
The British were not more successful in their political administration, but developed agriculture, mainly for export crops, organized around co-operatives, These rapidly regrouped under the Africa association, playing more and more an important political role against colonial policies.

In 1948, they renamed to the Tanganyika Africa Association (TTA), which became the major political party during 1950 when several thousands of  Meru people were expelled from their land.

Independence

In 1953, the T.A.A. elected Julius Nyerere as its President, which he rapidly transformed into an effective political organization. A new internal constitution was introduced on July 7th, 1954, and T.A.A. became the T.A.N.U. (Tanganyika African National Union) with its famous slogan “Uhuru na umajo” or “freedom and unity”.

T.A.N.U. main objective was independence. TANU won the 1958 and 1959 general legislative elections and, in 1959, Britain agreed to the establishment of an internal self-government. On December 9th, 1961,

Tanganyika became independent, and on December 9th 1962it was established as a Republic with Nyerere as President.

After a violent revolution in Zanzibar, still under British control, Nyerere signed an act of union with Karume (head of the Zanzibar revolutionary council) create on April 26th, 1964, the United Republic of Tanzania.

Socialist Tanzania

The “Arusha Declaration” of 1967 committed Tanzania to a policy of socialism and self reliance, organized around agricultural collectivities and family hood.

Basic goods and tools were hold in common, social equality and responsibility was encouraged, and a full nationalization of the economy took place.

Between 1975 and 1978, 85 % of Tanzania rural population was resettled into over 7 000 planned villages. This “Ujamaa” system was unpopular but is credited with unifying the country, bridging ethnic and religious divisions, and expanding education and health care.

Between 1978 and 1984, agricultural production became stagnant and industry sector ran at less than 50 % of its capacity.

Nyerere was re-elected to a fifth term in 1980, but resigned in 1985 and handed power over to Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

The fall of communism in Europe at the beginning of the 1990’s accelerated the move towards multiparty politics. In 1992, The constitution was amended to legalize opposition parties and set a date for elections in October 1995.

Benjamin Mkapa won 62 % of the votes and became President.

The latest elections in 2000 confirmed Mister Mkapa as President. His government has distinguished itself in its commitment to fight corruption and with its steps towards financial austerity and reform.

Most observers consider it highly unlikely that the country will disintegrate into tribal conflicts which have been recently plaguing neighboring Kenya.

Chances are high that this young nation will move smoothly into the 21st century, maintaining the stable and moderate outlook which has characterized Tanzania development since independence.