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On behalf of the National Executive Committee and all members of the African National Congress of South Africa, I convey warm greetings and profound feelings of brotherly friendship to all the members of the Tanganyika African National Union, the Government and all fraternal people of Tanzania on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the founding of their glorious political party, the leader and inspirer of the revolutionary gains of the people of Tanzania, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU).
I convey special good wishes to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, founder and president of TANU, and pay special homage to his wise leadership and statesmanship which has guided TANU and the entire people of Tanzania during the past twenty years of the existence of their party.
The membership of TANU and the entire people of Tanzania can look back at the road traversed during the past twenty years as one landmarked by important events in the life of Tanzanian society.
Within seven years of its existence, TANU was able to successfully mobilise and lead the people of Tanzania along the road of independence from colonial domination. The proud banner of independence was hoisted on the 13th December, 1962, and this heralded a new era of political, social, and economic regeneration of Tanzanian society, which liquidated the legacy of colonialism within the shortest possible time. Of significant importance in this direction is the historic Arusha Declaration which spelt out in bold relief TANU`s determination to start the journey into socialism, in defiance of the difficulties imposed on the Tanzanian people by the past colonial period.
One other important landmark in the development of TANU is the "TANU Guidelines". This put on a scientific basis the reorganisation of Tanzanian society in the new period of independence. The results have been ever increasing political consciousness of the Tanzanian people, coupled with their growing ability to meet their revolutionary tasks for the good of all the people and the security of their State.
Tanzania, under the leadership of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, has in the course of the past twenty years translated the great ideals of unity into reality, of which the unity forged between Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964 is an outstanding example. At the dawn of the new State of Tanzania, the enemies of African freedom and progress, above all international imperialist circles, predicted the early disintegration of the merger. They have been disillusioned, because the unity of the peoples of Tanganyika and Zanzibar has been consolidating and strengthening with the passage of time under the Tanzanian flag.
The fighting people of South Africa draw deep inspiration from the achievements and successes of the fraternal people of Tanzania, as these give revolutionary meaning to their tremendous sacrifices in the course of their struggle against fascist white minority domination. Little wonder that the persistent violence of the apartheid regime, coupled with subtle ideological and political manoeuvres to disorient the masses of our people from revolutionary struggle, have not succeeded. Instead, the struggles of the people in South Africa and elsewhere are gaining momentum, leading to the disintegration and deepening crisis of the white minority colonial regimes in southern Africa. The disintegration of the Caetano dictatorship and the mounting dilemma confronting the reactionary regimes in Salisbury and Pretoria are evidence of the successes of the revolutionary struggles of the colonially and racially oppressed peoples in the southern African region.
The African National Congress has always admired the consistently revolutionary stand of the United Republic of Tanzania in defence of freedom and human dignity at such important continental organisations as the OAU, of which it is a founder-member, and all other international forums. It is consistent with this stand that Tanzania has on several occasions assumed leadership of the important United Nations Decolonisation Committee and has also been given the opportunity to participate at various international organisations covering different fields of human endeavour.
The period of twenty years ending on this anniversary has seen Africa drop its colonial image with dazzling rapidity. It has seen the peoples of Africa grow to become a powerful influence in international affairs. It has seen triumphant revolutionary struggles, fought with arms, bring liberation and a new world to African peoples who for centuries had been the downtrodden subjects of colonial empires.
In all this - perhaps the most hectic and rewarding twenty years in the history of Africa - TANU and the TANU Government have played a participatory and leadership role of no mean significance. The African National Congress heartily congratulates the fraternal TANU on a truly distinguished career of service and we wish TANU, our fraternal Tanzanian people, and the great African revolutionary and leader, Mwalimu, a truly glorious future in continued service to Africa and mankind.
O.R. Tambo
Acting President General
African National Congress (S.A.)
Lusaka
ES Reddy