INDEPENDENCE DAY 1961

Emmanuel Muganda On Independence Day 1961

By Emmanuel Muganda

I was 12 years old when Tanganyika became independent. There would be a flag raising ceremony at the Musoma stadium, just next to the airport, on midnight of December 9th. I was wondering if my parents would let me attend and since my father was one of the three religious leaders asked to lead a prayer at the ceremony my parents let me attend. It was a heart rending experience to watch the Union Jack come down for the last time andour green, black and yellow go up to the new national anthem. It was a great day in Musoma as it was elsewhere in Tanganyika

 There was a greater sense of pride among the people of Musoma since our new leader, Julius Nyerere, came from this area. The next day, I went back to the airport as it was announced that the Duke of Edinburgh, who had represented the Queen of England at the independence ceremony, would be coming to Musoma, piloting his own plane, on the way to Serengeti. As much as I was excited about our independence, I was excited as much to see the Duke as he arrived in Musoma and to marvel at his plane.

Things would never be the same again for Tanganyika, just as it would never be the same again for this

young man growing up in an independent nation. 

Emmanuel Muganda On Independence Day 2011