Early politics

Nyerere had been involved in politics as a student at Makerere, but it was on his return from Edinburgh that he took up the cause of national independence as his main political objective. His first significant step was to join the Tanganyika African Association (TAA) which had been founded by the British in 1929 as an organization where elite Taganyikans could discuss social and political issues without ever becoming a threat to the colonial administration. Nyerere rapidly transformed T, AA from a mere social club into an organization to agitate for the ending of colonial rule over Tanganyika. In 1954, Nyerere formally turned T, AA into the Tanganyika African National Union (T. ANU), an overtly political organization with the central aim of achieving independence for Tanganyika.

Nyerere’s nationalism

Nyerere soon gave up his teaching post and entered full-time politics on behalf of TANU. His skill as a public speaker and his dedication to national independence soon earned him an enthusiastic following. His approach was modelled on that of Mohandas Gandhi, the outstanding nationalist leader who led the movement against Britain's control of India (see page 284). Nyerere conducted a series of tours of Tanganyika discussing local issues and gaining the support of the tribal leaders. He also travelled abroad; on one notable occasion he spoke on behalf of TANU to the Trusteeship Council of the UN, presenting the case for Tanganyikan independence. His speech delighted his supporters but angered the British authorities who responded by placing a temporary ban on Nyerere's speaking in public.