The people behind the Union ceremony

If you see either a photo or video of the symbolic ceremony of mixing the soil from Tanganyika and Zanzibar which took place on April 26, 1964, you will see two young men on their knees holding a pot and two young women handing over calabashes to the late president of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

These four young people were Sifael Shuma and Elisael Mrema from the then Tanganyika and Hadija Abbas and Hassan (whose second name could not be established), from Zanzibar.

Yesterday, Tanzania marked 50 years of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Sound Living had the chance to interview Sifael Shuma, now 81 and Elisael Mrema, 75, the young woman and young man in the historical Union photo, who share their recollections of the momentous day, 50 years ago.

The two were not easy to reach but after several calls and a trip to Moshi, I was finally allowed a meeting. However the duo seemed to be very apprehensive about what they said. They did not want to cause any problems at a time when Zanzibar’s independence from the Mainland is the topic of such hot debate.

Meeting Elisael Mrema

Mrema’s home is in Mdawi Village in Kombele Ward, apparently he is quite famous in the community. When I arrived at the Mjohoroni bus stop from Moshi Town, I asked the first person I met, Andrew, a bodaboda rider, how he knew Mrema.

“I’ve known him for so long and he is very famous here. However, I don’t know what made him so famous. Some people say that he was among the first Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) soldiers but I am not sure,” he tells me on our way to Mrema’s home.

After several knocks at Mrema’s home with no reply, I realised no one was at home. He told me to wait for him when I called him on his mobile phone. While I waited in the garden fearing the oncoming rain, I was startled by a loud voice behind me, “welcome my host,” it said.

‘My host’....I was surprised, how come I am his host? I greeted him with a handshake. He was in a raincoat and boots and held a plastic bag which appeared to have meat in it in his right hand.

“We talked over the phone before and I understood you but can you repeat what exactly brings you here, all the way from Dar es Salaam? You mean you could not wait until I came to Dar es Salaam for the Union Day celebrations? Who sent you here?” Mrema asked me as soon as I took a seat on the old sofa in the living room.

When I started answering his questions, he excused himself, left the living room and returned after changing his raincoat. He had a diary and a pen ready to take notes. After he was satisfied with my explanation, he proposed we go to Machame to meet Sifael Shuma, to make our chat more interactive.

After an almost two hour trip, we met up with Shuma at the Kilinopark Hotel where she holds a managerial position. She talks slowly, and has an easy smile.

The two admitted they did not know how exactly the selection process to take part in the historical event was done.

At the time, Moshi native Shuma was the only Black teacher at Machame Girls Secondary School. She grew up with the passion for mathematics and became a Maths, English and Civics teacher.

“I was shocked. Why me of all people? I wondered. I had a lot of questions in my mind about the event but I decided to wait and see how things would go once I arrived in Dar es Salaam,” recalls Shuma.

“On arriving in the city I stayed in a hotel and started rehearsals the following day. My clothes measurements were taken the following day and the dress was made in a very short time,” she adds.

On the Union Day, the two young women from the then Tanganyika and Zanzibar were given two calabashes with soil in them. Shuma carried soil from Tanganyika as Hadija carried soil from Zanzibar. They walked straight to the late President Nyerere and presented the calabashes to him. Nyerere mixed the soils in a pot which was held by the two young men, Hassan and Mrema. This marked the birth of Tanzania.

Their role in the event

According to Shuma, the mixed soil from the two countries was taken to the State House where two mango seedlings from both countries were planted in one hole. The grafted mango tree stands at the State House to-date. Later that evening, the four attended a dinner party at the State House.

“I never thought a day would come when people would be asking for the break-up of the Union. People of my age can remember the injustice that we went through during colonialism. We need to protect the Union at any cost,” says the retired headmistress.

Her head in her right hand, Shuma said the majority of the people who prefer either the Union break-up or more than two governments are those who were born years later and found this country full of peace and love. They enjoy the fruits of freedom and forget where we came from. She says these people are selfish.

Shuma says as we mark 50 years of the Union, it is important for politicians to come up with an agreement, which will benefit and protect the citizens from both sides. She fears failure to do so might compromise the future of the country and cause serious economic and financial problems.

Shuma who worked as the headmistress of Machame Girls for more than 30 years is proud to be among the women who have contributed to the development of this nation through her teaching career.

“Since the day I stepped at Machame Girls Secondary School in 1959, none of the students failed the examinations especially in the subjects I used to teach. Until I retired in 1993, there had been no zeros at the school,” says Shuma.

Mrema who had been listening to Shuma talk all this while said he thinks natural resources like gas, oil and mining should be protected for the benefit of both countries.

“You know, a majority of these academicians and politicians who push for three governments or the union break-up are just greedy. They are being very clever. I don’t see why they look down on the Union.”

Recalling his part in the mixing of the Union soil, Mrema says his appointment to the event came two weeks before the special day. He was a youth pioneer with TANU and was responsible for training the soldiers. It was just a coincidence, he says.

“I don’t know why they chose me, maybe it was because I was a leader. I was not scared of standing in front of many people as my job involved mainly meeting different people. However I was wondering what would happen on that day as I had no idea at all,” says Mrema.

Mrema pointed out that people always wonder how come the two of them from Tanzania Mainland were chosen from the same area, Moshi. That time, “Shuma was taken directly from Moshi and I was picked from Dar es Salaam where I used to work. No one asked where I came from, it just happened that the two of us were from the same region,” Mrema clarifies the coincidence.

“Respect for the Union is what was running in my mind on that day while on my knees as President Nyerere mixed the soil. I just wonder why people are in support of three governments or the Union break-up,” says Mrema.

Mrema adds that the idea for the Union was intended to create one big nation in order to protect our natural resources, business opportunities, traditions, languages and for security reasons, which are to be treated with respect and for the benefit of all.

‘We became one, it was a marriage of sorts; why don’t we find ways to overcome the challenges which are pushing people to consider having more than two governments?” queries Mrema.

He says there are a lot of development issues that need to be addressed to avoid misunderstandings in the Union. And people have to be patient as the government finds ways to get a solution to the Union problems.

For Mrema, taking part in the mixing of the soil event was such a very big opportunity. However, he feels that he was forgotten by the government for a long time and was not invited to take part in the Union celebrations for some time.

“I was never invited and I never knew if the others were invited since most of the time I was out of town working as a game officer. In 2011, I decided to write a letter to the Moshi Regional Commissioner to inform him about my contribution to the Union.

Within two weeks I received a call from the RC’s office and I was connected to the Prime Minister’s Office. Since then, I have been participating in the Union celebrations every year,” says a happy Mrema.

“Let us stand as one. Walk as one, the Union should stand and we should maintain two governments. Mwalimu Nyerere was never selfish no wonder he also involved our colleagues from Zanzibar to participate in the Union event,” concludes Mrema.

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