Tanzania: Background and Current
Conditions
Ted Dagne
Specialist in African Affairs
May 18, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RS22781
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repared for Members and Committees of Congress
Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
Summary
Tanzania, an important U.S. ally in Africa, is a stable and important regional actor. There has been
a gradual increase in political pluralism, but Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM ), the ruling party,
remains dominant in government and parliament. Tanzania’s current president, Jakaya Kikwete,
who previously served for 10 years as Tanzania’s foreign minister, won 80.3% of the votes cast in
the December 2005 presidential election. The next general elections are scheduled for October
2010. Tanzania continues its pattern of steady real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and
has a low and stable inflation rate. The Economist Intelligence Unit predicts real Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth of 6.4% in 2010 and 7.1% in 2011.
Congressional Research Service
Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
Contents
Background ................................................................................................................................ 1
Politics.................................................................................................................................. 1
President Kikwete ................................................................................................................. 2
Economy .............................................................................................................................. 2
HIV/AIDS ............................................................................................................................ 3
Regional Role ....................................................................................................................... 3
Human Rights Conditions ..................................................................................................... 4
U.S.-Tanzania Relations .............................................................................................................. 4
Tables
Table 1. U.S. Assistance to Tanzania............................................................................................ 5
Contacts
Author Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 5
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
Background
Tanzania, with an eastern seaboard on the Indian Ocean and a western border abutting several of
East Africa’s Great Lakes, is a medium-sized poor country. Though it is socially diverse, with
about 125 ethnic groups, it has enjoyed general political stability and national unity for about 40
years in a region wracked by civil wars, often with ethnic dimensions, in neighboring Rwanda,
Burundi, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mozambique. Tanzania is a union
formed in 1964 between the mainland—a German colony and later a British protectorate formerly
known as Tanganyika—and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and several smaller islands. The
islands, which remain semi-autonomous with their own president and parliament, are populated
by peoples of mixed Arab and African descent, and almost all are Muslim.1
Tanzania’s first president was Julius Nyerere, who led a one-party state that nationalized key
industries and created ujamaa, a rural, collective village-based movement of “African socialism”
and “self reliance.” Ujamaa faced increasing popular dissatisfaction, and was slowly abandoned
in the 1970s and 1980s.2 In 1977, Tanzania repelled an invasion by the brutal Ugandan dictator,
Idi Amin, and in 1979 intervened in Uganda to overthrow Amin. Tanzania was active in opposing
racist political systems in South Africa and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Nyerere, who had a
reputation as an honest, humble, idealistic leader, retired as president in 1985, and became an
elder statesman, mediating peace processes in neighboring Burundi. He was succeeded by the
president of Zanzibar, Ali Mwinyi, who oversaw political reforms and a gradual transition to a
market economy, in part due to economic collapse brought on by ujamaa and centralized
economic management.
Politics
There has been a gradual increase in political pluralism, but the CCM remains dominant in
government and parliament, and is periodically accused of subverting the aspirations of
opposition parties. Opposition parties have reportedly on some occasions been denied rally
permits, and their party members detained, intimidated, and harassed, notably during electoral
periods, according to human rights groups. In April 2005, CCM offices on Zanzibar were
bombed. This event followed the discovery of the body of a missing CCM official, and the
Zanzibar Election Commission (ZEC)’s ruling that the leader of the Zanzibar-based Civic United
Front (CUF) party was ineligible to run for the Zanzibar presidency. In the 2000 general
elections, Zanzibar political activists, notably those of the locally dominant opposition CUF,
accused the CCM, and by implication the government, of administering the poll in a manner
biased toward the CCM. The election was characterized by substantial violence between state
security forces and opposition supporters. In its 2004 human rights report, the State Department
said it had been “free and fair on the mainland, but ... seriously marred by irregularities and
politically motivated violence on Zanzibar.”
1 Europa Regional Surveys of the World. Africa South of the Sahara, 2008.
2 Europa Regional Surveys of the World. Africa South of the Sahara, 2008.
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
In October 2005, Zanzibar held its presidential
Tanzania at a Glance
election. Amani Abeid Karume was elected
Geography: East African coastal country;
President with 53.2% of the votes cast, while
Nearly one and a half times the size of Texas.
opposition candidate Seif Hamad received
Population: 41 million (2009 est.)
46.1%. In the legislative elections, the ruling
Population growth rate: 2.04% (2009 est.)
CCM took 31 seats, while the CUF won 18
GDP (purchasing power parity): $ 57.8 billion (2009)
GDP per capita (PPP): $ 1,400 (2009)
seats in the House of Representatives.
Major Exports: Gold, coffee, cashews, tourism,
Observers reported about election-related
manufactured products, cotton, cloves
violence and claims of electoral fraud.3 The
Languages: Swahili (official); English (official, used in
Commonwealth recommended an investigation
business, administration, higher education); Arabic
(Zanzibar); about 123 other local languages, many
into the election-related violence. The Zanzibar
Bantu-based
Electoral Commission (ZEC) stated that the
Religions: Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
elections were free and fair. In December 2005,
35%; Zanzibar /islands over 99% Muslim
presidential and legislative elections took place
Literacy: Male, 77.5%; Female, 66.2% (2003) Under-5
on Mainland Tanzania. CCM candidate Jakaya
Mortality: 165 deaths/1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS adult infection rate: 6.2% (2007)
Mrisho Kikwete won 80.3% of the votes cast in
Life Expectancy, years at birth:
the presidential elections, while the CUF
Male, 50.5 Female, 53.5 (2009 est.)
candidate, Ibrahim Lipumba, won 11.7% of the
Sources: CIA World Factbook 2010.
votes cast. The ruling CCM won 207 seats,
while the CUF took 18 seats in the National
Assembly. The next general elections are scheduled for October 2010.
President Kikwete
Tanzania’s current president, Jakaya Kikwete, previously served for 10 years as Tanzania’s
foreign minister. He is pursuing an agenda of political continuity that builds on the achievements
of Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa but also seeks to generate greater economic growth and reform.
He has also voiced a desire to resolve political conflicts that have long affected Zanzibar
internally and in its relations with the mainland. In May 2009, President Kikwete met President
Obama in Washington, DC.
Economy
The Mkapa administration pursued a number of key economic reforms and was generally seen
positively by bilateral and multilateral donors, which have provided substantial financial and
technical support to Tanzania. Some of these reforms included privatizations of state firms,
ongoing improvements to Tanzania’s weak infrastructure system, the creation of growing cell
phone networks and increased Internet access, and an increasingly robust and investor-friendly
private sector, particularly in the tourism, retail, gold and gems mining, transport, communication
and agriculture sectors. Tanzania reached its completion point under the Enhanced Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 2001, and has received partial debt stock reductions
under the initiative. Several donors have recently provided bilateral debt relief to Tanzania.
Tanzania continues its pattern of steady real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and its low
and stable inflation rate. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts that inflation will fall
3 The Norwegian Center for Human Rights (NORDEM). The United Republic of Tanzania: Presidential and
Parliamentary Elections December 2005.
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
from an average of 12% in 2009 to 9% in 2010, and 7.5% in 2011. The EIU forecasts GDP
growth at 6.4% in 2010 and 7% in 2011.4 Despite its real GDP growth, Tanzania’s economy
largely fails to address the needs of ordinary Tanzanians (i.e., healthcare, education, employment,
and poverty reduction). In recognition of this failure, the MKUKUTA (National Strategy for
Growth and Reduction of Poverty) has been developed with the goal of raising economic growth
and the reduction of poverty.5 The price of gold—Tanzania’s main export—remains high due to
the global market and the weakness of the U.S. dollar.
HIV/AIDS
Tanzania faces a severe AIDS epidemic. Its HIV/AIDS infection rate, at about 8.8% (2003) is
lower than that in southern Africa, but higher than those of its East African neighbors. Tanzania is
estimated to have the 12th-highest national infection rate globally, with between 1.6 and 2 million
HIV-positive persons, with work force-aged and urban populations most hard-hit, mostly on the
mainland. Zanzibar and the other islands have an estimated infection rate of about 0.6%. In April
2005, however, the National AIDS Commission (TACAIDS) chair announced TACAIDS/U.S.
Agency for International Development-funded survey data showing a decrease to 7% in infection
rates for Tanzania—though some estimates remain far higher. In 2000, Tanzania declared AIDS to
be a national disaster and later established TACAIDS and a separate Zanzibar AIDS Commission
(ZAC). These entities design and administer national anti-AIDS efforts, including programs
implemented through local government HIV/AIDS committees. In August 2004, at the signing of
an $87.9 million grant by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, President
Mkapa announced that his government would begin providing free anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs)
to AIDS patients. In June 2005, the government announced a very ambitious goal of providing
100,000 patients with ARVs by late 2006, and of reaching 400,000 patients within the next five
years. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, provides technical, policy,
public education, and financial assistance to TACAIDS and ZAC. Tanzania also receives AIDS
assistance from a variety of private AIDS foundations, and from the United States. It is a “focus
country” under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.6
Regional Role
Tanzania is a member, with Kenya and Uganda, of the East African Community (EAC),
established by a 1999 treaty, which revived an earlier EAC, defunct since 1977. The EAC Treaty
provides for the creation of a range of regional development, economic policy cooperation, trade,
and political coordination initiatives and entities. EAC members signed a customs union
agreement in March 2004, which began to be implemented in January 2005. Tanzania, a Southern
African Development Community (SADC) member, is also cooperating with its southern
neighbors in regional economic development projects, notably in transport. Tanzania has also
helped to facilitate an end to the conflict in neighboring Burundi.
4 The Economist Intelligence Unit. Tanzania, January 2010.
5 The Economist Intelligence Unit. Tanzania, December 2007
6 The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. 2007 Country Profile: Tanzania.
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
Human Rights Conditions7
Although the Tanzanian government is not reported to be responsible for any politically
motivated killings or disappearances in the past year, there have been several instances of
unlawful killings by policemen and prison guards. Police and prison wardens are also accused of
torturing and threatening suspected criminals. The police force lacks funding and is plagued by
corruption and the excessive use of force. According to the State Department 2009 Country
Reports on Human Rights Practices:
There were a number of human rights problems. Police and prison guards used excessive
force against inmates and suspects, and police impunity was a problem. Prison conditions
were harsh and life threatening. Police corruption and violation of legal procedures were
problems, and the judiciary was corrupt and inefficient. The government partially limited
freedom of speech and press, especially in Zanzibar. Government corruption remained a
problem, and authorities restricted the movement of refugees. Societal violence against
women and persons with albinism and women persisted. Female genital mutilation (FGM),
especially of young girls, continued to be practiced. Trafficking in persons and child labor
continued.8
U.S.-Tanzania Relations
U.S.-Tanzanian relations are cordial and friendly. The Obama Administration’s bilateral policy
priorities, according to its FY2010 Congressional Budget Justification, include “strengthening
Tanzania’s democratic institutions and security forces, as well as local and national systems and
institutional capacity in health, including HIV/AIDS and malaria, and education.”9 U.S. concerns
about terrorism in Tanzania stems from the 1998 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam,
the capital, by al-Qaeda and from the alleged growth of radical Islamic views within Tanzania’s
large Muslim population. In addition, several Tanzanians are known to have joined al-Qaeda. The
United States provides anti-terrorism and financial and immigration fraud capacity-building
assistance, and the U.S. Embassy maintains an emphasis on the protection of U.S. citizens in
Tanzania. A Peace Corps contingent carries out projects in education, natural resource
management, and health, with an emphasis on combating AIDS. Tanzania is eligible for trade
benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, including textile and apparel benefits,
and is a Millennium Challenge Account threshold country, making it eligible to apply for MCA
assistance. In September 2007, Tanzania signed a $698 million compact agreement aimed at
poverty reduction, access to clean water, transparency, and anti-corruption efforts. U.S. assistance
to Tanzania has increased over the past several years. In FY2008, bilateral assistance totaled an
estimated $370.2 million, $368 million in FY2009, and an estimated $462.5 million in FY2010.
The Obama Administration has requested $549.6 million in 2011. Tanzania is one of the 15
focus countries of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In December
2009, the National Institute for Medical Research was opened in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The
Institute will house three major medical institutions. The United States provided $9.5 million,
through PEPFAR, and laboratory equipment.
7 The State Department. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2006.
8 http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/af/119028.htm
9 Congressional Budget Justification, 2010.
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions
Table 1. U.S. Assistance to Tanzania
($in thousands)
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
FY 2011
Actual
Total
Estimate
Request
Total 370,246
464,983
462,529
549,622
Development Assistance
21,439
26,890
41,700
58,118
Foreign Mil. Financing
200 200
Global Health and Child Survival-
281,000 329,921 336,254
336,254
State
Global Health and Child Survival-
52,796 61,078 83,525
112,000
USAID
International Military Education
300 375 400
400
and Training
Int. Narcotics Control and Law
450
950
Enforcement
Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism,
149
Demining and Related Programs
Peacekeeping
Operations
Public Law 480 (Food Aid)
14,562
Source: Congressional Budget Justification, FY2010
Author Contact Information
Ted Dagne
Specialist in African Affairs
tdagne@crs.loc.gov, 7-7646
Congressional Research Service
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