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Tanganyika (1961-1964), Tanzania

by Vincent Morley, 8 Dec 1996

Self-government and independence
May-December 1961 Tanganyika flag?
Merger with Zanzibar

See also:

Self-government and independence (1 May 1961 - circa 30 June 1964)

Tanganyika gained self-government from Britain (technically under a League of Nations Trustee mandate) on 1 May 1961 and became independent on 9 December 1961. The flag of Tanganyika was based on that of the ruling Tanganyika African National Union, which was a horizontal tricolour of green-black-red. The flag was modified in 1964 when Tanganyika merged with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania.
Stuart Notholt, 29 Jun 1996

In section new flags of Flag Bulletin 1 is described and pictured Tanganika:
9 December 1961 Tanganyika will become free. Details of the new national flag were released by its information service on 8 July 1961. The design consist of three horizontal stripes alternately of bright green, black and bright green, all of equal widht and length. This combination has been used for a long time by the countrys chief political party, the TANU, whose leader Julius Nyerere is the new prime minister. Added to the party flag are two smaller stripe of gold (i.e. yellow) probably in order to make the flag conform the heralidc rule, whereby color must not touch color. Each of these stripes is to be 1/16 of the flag widht. Green represents land, black peoples, and gold the mineral ressources. Official sizes are 6 x 4 and 8x12. The new design replaces the British ensign with the badge showing the giraffe head.
Jaume Ollé, 17 Apr 2001

May-December 1961 Tanganyika flag?

by Mikhail Revnivtsev, 4 Apr 2004

In the French bulletin Vexillologia, edited by Georges Pash, in N 1/2 Tome II, 1969, p.47, has been written, that the first flag of Tanganyika accepted in 1961 has consisted of three horizontal stripes: green, white and orange. The green - black flag has been accepted several months later.

In book " United Republic of Tanzania ", Moscow, 1980, (in Russian), is written:
In October, 1960 to Tanganyika it has been given internal self-goverment, in the council of Ministers, headed by the British governor, have been included 4 europeans, 7 africans and 1 representative of the asian minority. The constitutional conference took place in March, 1961 in Dar es Salaam.
According to its decisions on 1 May 1961 Tanganyika has received a full autonomy (Legislative Council has been renamed into National Assembly, and Council of Ministers - in the Cabinet). Declaration of independence of Tanganyika took place on 9 Dec 1961.
Apart from the TANU there were several other political movements: African National Congress (ANC), National Convention
Party (NCP), National Initiative Party (NIP) and others.
Within one year, on 9 Dec 1962, the country has been proclaimed a republic.
The one-party system TANU has been established only in March, 1963.

Could this green - white - orange flag be a temporary flag from 1 May till 9 Dec 1961?
Possibly this non-party flag has been designed to symbolize africans (green), europeans (white) and asians (orange)?
Mikhail Revnivtsev, 4 Apr 2004

Pasch reported this flag for Tanganika. But later some reports seems to indicate that the flag was in fact a confusion, and was not hoisted as national flag, but as flag of the Indian community.
Jaume Ollé, 5 Apr 2004

In Guide to the Flags of the World, by Mauro Talocci, 1977 (reprint 1986) I found:
"The flag of Tanganyika consisted of two green bands with a black one in between. When Tanganyika became independent in 1961, two thin yellow stripes were added to symbolize the mineral resources of the country".
The TANU flag (VNV) may have been the Tanganyikan flag betwen 1 May and 9 Dec 1961.
Jarig Bakker, 5 Apr 2004

Merger with Zanzibar

On 26 April 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form a new republic, the name ’Tanzania’ being adopted on 29 October 1964. Like the name of the country, the new flag was a merger of that of its constituent parts. The lower green stripe of the Tanganyika flag took the blue of the Zanzibari flag, and the stripes were re-arranged diagonally to give them equal status.
Stuart Notholt, 29 Jun 1996