While the British were ruling the former Tanganyika, the
military was a forbidden area to the local people. They had no access to
military secrets, plans or policy. It was the same with the rest of the
government. They were told what to do and how to do it, but seldom why. This did
not change with independence in 1961. The Tanganyikan officers were not privy to
strategic military plans. They were still being discriminated against.
Major-General Sarakikya, a former Chief of the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force
(TPDF), recalled how tents were allocated on the basis of race while on an
exercise in Ngara in 1962. A British 2nd lieutenant had his own tent, while a
Tanganyika lieutenant had to share.7
Therefore, it is not strange that members of parliament could not have an
in-depth discussion about the army. They skirted around the issue because they
were ignorant and the army commander, Brigadier Douglas, did not reveal much to
them.
Source: http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/ASR/10No1/Lupogo.html
