Nairobi, April 28 -- Tanzania turned 60 this past week. It is an important milestone and one that deserves to be celebrated with pride, and with thought. In other words, it is a celebration that needs to be tempered with celebration.

With pride, I say, because there is very little doubt that a union that has survived this long is as good as it is rare, and one has to be grateful that it has weathered the storms of existence and continues to stay on course. With thought, I say, because of what comes under here.

A lot of ink has been spilt on treatises trying to explain the reasons that presided over this Union, and these have been as varied as they have been numerous, and it is possible to continue with disagreements thereon for many dec...