3.3. Religious and philosophical factors

The main religions in Tanzania are Christians (45%), Islams (35%) and others, e.g. traditional African religions (20%). (Electronic Encyclopedia 1999.) Invasion of colonialism brought both islam and christianity to Tanganyika. In East Africa, Arabs were first to conquer the coast in 12^th century and later extended their influence into inner Tanganyika through slave trade. Christianity was brought by Western colonial officers and missionaries in 19^th century. (Buchert 1994.)

Apart from religions, the post-colonial Tanganyika was touched by a nationalist movement, the common overall objectives of which were modernisation and attainment of majority African rule, including Africanisation of the government and state institutes. (Havnevik 1993.) As the outcome of sosio-political and economical crises and conflicts with some western countries, e.g. Britain, West Germany and USA, the government was forced to turn to socialist countries. Tanzania committed itself to the path of African Socialism in 1967 by announcing Arusha Declaration. The Arusha Declaration enunciated the long-term goals for Tanzania, which were ujamaa (familyhood) and self-reliance: hard work for the common good. (Havnevik 1994, Buchert 1994, Chambua 1994.) President Nyerere described ujamaa socialism as an attitude of mind, the foundation and objective of which was the extended family on the basis of African tradition. (Havnevik 1993.)

Both Bantu Philosophy and African Socialism have been criticised by using similar arguments. Chachage (1994) criticises Bantu Philosophy, which in his opinion was systematized by the colonial agents and served for ‘civilization’ and ‘christianization’ of Africans. Chachage (1994) and Chambua (1994) point out, how African Socialism, developed by the politicians and other intellectuals of independent African countries, based on the idea of modernization. It was essential to defend the African social structures and values, while at the same time modernity in terms of technology, law and economics was accepted. In Tanzania the ideas of African Socialism were institutionalized in the state and party systems, and the central issue was to struggle against poverty, ignorance and disease. Only the state had the capacity to bring modernization by encouraging unity among people, industrialization and development in agriculture. The nationalist leaders were committed to modernization, and the general tendency was to view people as ignorant, primitive, superstitious, lazy, resistant to change and backward. (Chachage 1994.)