East Africa comprises of three nations, viz, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It touches the Indian Ocean through a number of international ports. The three countries lay in a well-knit community until the split in 1977 due to lack of cooperation, understanding and external pressure. In recent years they have tried to enter into negotiations to restore unity and harmony. East Africa is widely known for its great lakes like Victoria, Tanganika, Manyara and mountains like Kilimanjaro and Uluguru.

Tanzania has always been a country of exceptional peace and serenity among the three. She also experienced colonialism at the hands of the Germans and the British, and sufferings during the slave trade of the Arabs (early 19th century). There often were conflicts between local chieftains and the colonizers. But most of the time the latter won the battles. The Germans who lost during World War I gave way to the British hegemony in Tanzania from 1917. Political movements aiming at independence began in 1954, under the leadership of Mwalimu (teacher) Julius K Nyerere with his political party Tanganica African National Union (TANU). Tanzania was freed on 6th December 1961, and Nyerere became its first President. In 1964, the island of Zanzibar signed with Tanzania a treaty and became a part of the United Republic of Tanzania.

President Nyerere followed a policy of "self-reliance and socialism", although the nation was still too young to digest its implications. The great achievement of his was the unification of 120 tribes into one single State and language. Thus Swahili became the national language which is widely spoken in the whole of East Africa. He resigned on his own in 1985. His successor from the same party, Mr. Ali Hassan Mwinyi, followed a policy of 'free market economy'.

In 1992, the Parliament introduced the multi-party system. There were 12 registered parties to contest the 1995 elections. Mr. Benjamin Mkapa of the Revolutionary Party (CCM originated from the union of TANU and ASP) became President in 1995. He opened a new era of hope that may wipe away corruption and social evils and work for social development.