I have read many opinions by Tanzanians on dual citizenship. What I have learned from what Tanzanians write on this topic is that the majority of Tanzanians living abroad want dual citizenship to be included in the new constitution. In spite of the different opinions Tanzanians may have, one of the issues that Tanzanians agree on is the issue of dual citizenship. However, there is still a need to educate the masses about the benefits of dual citizenship. In other words, many Tanzanians are still unclear about dual citizenship and what it means when a Tanzanian living abroad claims to be a Tanzanian by birthright. Is birthright and citizenship extended equally to Tanzanians living in the country and those living abroad? In the opinion of the majority of Diaspora Tanzanians, Tanzanians living abroad are discriminated against when it comes to their birth and citizenship rights. In fact, Tanzanians lose their citizenship when they become citizens of other foreign nations. A time for a change has come.
Dual citizenship has been unthinkable and unacceptable for quite a long time in Tanzania. This was due to the past history of Tanzania. Although Tanzania was a member of the Non-Aligned Movement during the cold war era, Tanzania was a socialist state. Its developmental philosophy and values were close to those of the USSR, China or any other socialist nations. At this time, Tanzania favored socialist ideals and opposed capitalism. Hence, terms like “left wing states” and “right wing states” were used extensively. However, some very few countries remained neutral, they also tend to favor one of the two big nations and their allies. As mentioned earlier, by the big nations I refer to the United States and the USSR. Hence, countries created allies and enemies. Tanzania was allied with the USSR. Today Tanzania has become a truly US ally and partner. Hence, it is a time to call for a change to replace the Tanzania’s cold war era policies with new policies to enhance Tanzania’s relations with states that were deemed to be its enemies during the cold war era.
People who migrated to countries with different political ideals and values were deemed as traitors by their own countries. Trust was an issue. However, the reality is different today. Hence, dual citizenship for some countries was an unthinkable and unacceptable reality. Even those countries that favored dual citizenship did not naturalize people from certain nations who were deemed enemies because of the cold war and philosophical realities. Tanzania was no different country. The reason why Tanzanians living abroad are still portrayed as traitors is partly because of the cold war philosophy and its legacy. The time for change has arrived. Tanzanians everywhere should unite to demand their birthright and that their right to citizenship be protected. Hence, Tanzanians should not be deprived of their citizenship once they acquire citizenship of other nations. Countries like Kenya or South Africa do not deprive their citizens of their citizenship no matter what nationality they choose to have.
Historically, soon after the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, a newly born nation of Tanzania created what became known as “the Zanzibar Decree Act of 1964. This Act stated that any person born within the boarders of the United Republic of Tanzania became a Tanzanian citizen according to the then existing laws. Although this Act was established, it was meant to deny citizenship to people who fled the Zanzibar Revolutions. Analytically speaking the Act gave citizenship rights to any person who was born after the union, and within the borders of the United Republic of Tanzania. Thus, this Act not only was put into law but also discriminated against the right of citizenship for Tanzanians born elsewhere in the world unless otherwise those Tanzanians acquired Tanzanian citizenship by following the then existed laws.
In 1967, the immigration Act Number 6 was established with the purpose of denying citizenship to traitors and people who committed treason or making it harder for foreigners to acquire Tanzanian citizenship. ‘Oscar Kambona” was the then famous name among many other names who were deemed as traitors. The Immigration Act No. 6 was amended in 1995 and again to deal with the political atmosphere of that time. In 1995, after the general election the political situation in Zanzibar forced the country to enact rules that calmed down the political instability in the isles.
In all these three above-mentioned Acts and Amendments, dual citizenship was denied to Tanzanians because of the wrong reasons. The following wrong reasons are often cited by the opponents of dual citizenship: an opponent may say “Tanzanians living abroad are traitors”. The Diaspora have also heard some people saying: “Tanzanians living abroad are selfish” in the sense that “wanataka kufaidi huku na kule” meaning they want to use both Tanzanians and foreign resources. Isn’t that false? How could one justify such a claim that Tanzanians living abroad are more selfish than Tanzanians living in the country in terms of the resource use? Why is Tanzania itself dependable on foreign aid? This claim does not make any sense. Moreover, how can any person justify that Tanzanians living abroad are traitors? Tanzanians living abroad want more examples to explain why some people call them “traitors”. Tanzanians living abroad are not traitors and it is not their intentions to become traitors.
Some people say Tanzanians living abroad are not contributing to Tanzania’s economic development. Why do these people acknowledge the fact that remittances have surpassed 250 million dollars last year?
We of the Diaspora promote unity, love, peace and understanding amongst all people of the Tanzanian origins. It is our intention to see that Tanzania does not lag behind its East African counterparts who have accepted dual citizenship for their nationals and citizens. Why won’t Tanzania wake up? Isn’t this call for dual citizenship a wake up call? Isn’t this time the right time for change?
We, from the Diaspora have placed our petition for dual citizenship. We would like to invite every member of the Constitutional Review Parliament to support our cause for dual citizen and vote for this cause when this motion will be brought to the Parliament’s attention. For the members of parliament, we need your vote and support. We are all Tanzanians and we want a unified and a peaceful country. Tanzanians wherever they are need to work together to support this call for dual citizenship.
This article has been prepared by Deogratius Mhella, the executive secretary of the Ongoing Tanzanian Communities in the United States and DICOTA Meetings in order to educate the mass about the Diaspora’s call for dual citizenship in Tanzania.
4 comments:
Watanzania mnaoishi nchi za nje mna mambo sana. Sasa unataka kujielimisha mwenyewe au unataka kuwaelimisha kweli watanzania? Watanzania wanaokataa uraia pacha hawajui kingereza sasa kama mnajidai na kingereza chenu ndio msahau kabisa. Nyie ndio mnashda ni wajibu wenu kutafuta kila njia kuhakikisha watanzania wanapata na kuelewa kila manachosema. Sio kuja kwenye social networks na kuandika kwa kingereza chenu.
Kama mlikaa kikao chenu mlishindwa nini kuitafsiri hii habari kwa kiswahili ili waelewe hao watanzania mnaotaka kuwaelimisha?
Halafu mnamuweka mbunge ambaye anaonekana sijui vipi. Anazungumzia makaburi yanayo hama mto huko mpakani mwa Malawi. Sasa Malawi hairuhusu uraia pacha ina maana Tanzania wakifanya hivyo hao watu watawezaje kuwa raia wa nchi mbili kama Malawi hairuhusu?
Hapo ndio unaelewa upeo mdogo wa hawa viongozi kuhusu hili jambo bi upi. Hawajui hata wanaongea nini na hiyo fee kubwa inayowekwa ni kwa ajili ya kulinda ajira za watanzania halisi hapa nyumbani.
Now let me educate you, you have to remember you can't change the law just because you want it to be the way you feel it is right to you. At the time you decided to acquire another country's citizenship you knew the consequences. You knew in Tanzania it was either or and nothing in between.
Now you people coming back and saying that you have the birthright..you don't have that anymore. The law protected your birthright until the day you decided to forfeit that right. You chose to do that when you were an adult and not under any pressure.
India has so many of its people outside of the country. It said to be more than 20% but they don't want to do that because they know many will go back and take jobs. Many will go to work in India but will spend their money somewhere else. Have you guys ever think about our kids that will loose their jobs? Do you care?
You are talking about investigating in Tanzania have you ever survey to find out how many natural born Tanzanians living abroad have the ability to invest so that they can create more jobs here in Tanzania? The answer to that is hardly 0.1%. All those people who are supporting this dual system are those who do not have a stable life in America and some are ready to retire so they are looking for ways to get easy back without even care about its impacts to the country.
If you like your American citizenship so much then you keep it, if not you are more than welcome to come back to Tanzania and follow the rules to be a Tanzania citizen again.
We Tanzanians have every right to protect what we think is the best for our country and you can't blame anyone who doesn't support you guys. It's about our protection for those of us who do not have anywhere to go if anything goes wrong. You will uproot your family and leave how about us? Where are we going? Nowhere.
acha roho mbaya wewe, sisi watanzania tumekuja kutafuta maisha huku, tumezaa huku na familia tunata uraia pacha this21st century, tunatakakuwekezabongo bilaya kulipavibari hela nyingi nakutoarushwa sana. the country need change too much corruption
ANGALIA SAA WEWE DUO NA CORRUPTION WAPI NA WAPI NAKUAMBIA WA KWANZA UPO SAWA HILI LA PILI WALA HAJUWI JIBU HOJA KWA HOJA ...!!!NO DUO TANZANIA
Taanzanian mnapenda kulilia vitu msivyovijuwa wanaolilia duo sababu eti waka envest niwaongo hamna mtanzania amenyimwa ku envest Tanzania most of then ni wababaishaji hamna wa ku evest wacheni hizo shame on you people please be honest
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