Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. It is a union of two former independent states i.e. the main land Tanganyika and Indian Ocean Zanzibar island . The founding president of Tanzania, Mwalimu(teacher) Julius Nyerere, was a unique African leader who helped to unite this country of many ethnicities and beliefs. Tanzania is now a secular country with a national and official language known as Swahili - a combination of African Bantu languages and Arabic. It developed on the East African Indiana coast over several centuries. Julius Nyerere made it a policy to develop this language among his people in order to bridge the communication divide, promote unity and foster development. During the last 40 years, Tanzania has experienced stability, outlived all forms of sectarianism and become a secular country where religion and ethnicity are private issues. Yet this is not the case in neighbouring Uganda and Kenya.

Though Nyerere was a practising Catholic, he did not allow his religious beliefs to influence national policy. Thus when he retired, he seconded a Muslim, Hassan Mwinyi from Zanzibar, to succeed him as president of the Union. The current president, Jakaya Kiwete, is another Muslim presiding over this mainly non Muslim nation. Yet Tanzanians are not bothered by that. In other countries of Africa, the religion and ethnicity or origin of a president bothers people a lot.

During the months of June and early July, I travelled to Tanzania to establish Humanist links and groups. Though there were problems with language as Tanzanians are not very conversant with English, I found it very easy to attract people to Humanism. One old educated lady told me that I was introducing nothing new for Nyerere had introduced a similar Humanism called socialism many years ago. Nyerere's socialism promoted common secular values of unity, togetherness and social welfare. He was very strict on separation of church and state. However, Nyerere's socialism failed economically and left many people in poverty. There was also no emphasis on self determination and democracy - issues which are advocated by Humanists.

Tanzanians are very easy people to organise for a secular movement such as Humanism, for the sprit of secular unity for development known as ujaama (togetherness/brotherhood) is already well developed. Tanzanian Humanist contacts told me that they are tired of groups, especially religious ones, that tend to organise them for purposes of exploitation. I talked about Humanism and the role of International Humanist and Ethical Union(IHEU) in representing Humanist groups and fostering the development of new ones.

Tanzanian Humanists were alarmed by the sectarianism and instability in Uganda and Kenya. I requested them to organise themselves and link up with other East African Humanists so that we can share skills, values, attitudes and principles for the good of our common humanity.

As I left Tanzania after a second trip, I was convinced that this country is a fertile ground for Humanism. However, superstition in the form of witchcraft and new religious groups that advance fanaticism is visible. Possibly this is where we are to begin from and advance rationalism.

Deo Ssekitooleko is IHEU East Africa Representative.