Depoliticised ethnicity in Tanzania: a structural and historical narrative

Abstract

Much of the literature on ethnicity in Africa regards ethnicity as a central cleavage and associates its politicisation with civil war and deteriorating socio-economic conditions. Tanzanian society is not structured by this cleavage, making it an outlier among African states. Despite the negative impact of politicised ethnicity, little is known of the circumstances through which it germinates and comes to have negative consequences, or how it can be suppressed in Africa. The present article attempts a comprehensive analysis of the structural and historical factors that have made the move away from politicisation of ethnicity in Tanzania possible. It provides an eclectic structural and historical explanation that attributes lack of ethnic salience in Tanzanian politics to a particular ethnic structure, to certain colonial administrative and economic approaches, and to a sustained nation-building ethos. The argument results from a critical analysis of secondary material on ethnicity and the politics of Tanzania.

The role of cultural safety and ethical space within postcolonial healthcare for Maasai in Tanzania

“…13 The Maasai originated in what is today Sudan and the lower Nile Valley and slowly migrated south along the Rift Valley to Tanzania. 3 Although Maasai are 1 of around 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania 14 of which it can be argued are all indigenous, the focus on Maasai as 'indigenous' for this analysis is the maintenance of a way of life and a history of social and political marginalisation. Indigenous peoples conform with social, economic and cultural customs that are sharply distinct of dominant groups.…”

“…(Davis et al p.5 46 ) Today healthcare workers are not descendants of colonialists but descendants of Africans from many ethnic groups also living in Tanzania for centuries. 14 Health worker's discriminatory practices towards nomadic groups and in particular Maasai has been well documented. 28 47-50 This legacy of the ethnic groups' colonial past and neocolonial present along with globalisation has shaped the relationships between Maasai and other African Tanzanians in healthcare settings.…”

Ethnicity, voting and the promises of the independence movement in Mwanza, Tanzania

“…The significance of ethnicity on determining electorates' choices indicated lacks differentiation oflevels of ethnic salience in Africa. Tanzania for instance, exhibits a striking ethnic plurality with over 120 ethnic groups socially and culturally recognised, but, has a lower salience of ethnicity in voting compared to most African states (Malipula, 2014). In light of the overriding literature, the fact that Tanzania is not being structured on this cleavage despite its ethnic diversity is, so to speak, 'abnormal' for an African state.…”

“…The contrary is viewed to be true for countries with an array of small ethnic groups which force contestants to reach out to, and win votes from, a myriad of ethnic groups through a national appeal (Weber, 2010). As convincing as the ethnic structure view may be in terms of strategic rationality, the political-ethnographic school questions its validity on grounds of the dynamic and contextual reality of ethnic identities, which a static conceptualisation of ethnic groups and their politicising effect fails to grasp (Malipula, 2014). Against both the ethnic structure argument and its critique, Miguel (2004) suggests that nation-building policies and practices can moderate ethnic politicisation.…”

“…This essentialist view fails to appreciate alternative political ideas and structures relevant to Africa (Mustapha, 2002;Pitcher rt al., 2009). For instance, against the claim of Africans' primordial tendencies politicising ethnicity, there is sound evidence in terms of elections in Tanzania, (Malipula, 2014;Weber, 2010) as well as in terms of extant ideals and values countering neo-patrimonialism (Pitcher rt al., 2009). Therefore, this study through the promises of the independence movement (PslM) integrates the role of African histories in the analysis of ethnicity and voting.…”