TANZANIA, Oct. 14 -- IMAGINE taking over the leadership of a nation with only 11 graduates while the countys population stands at 9 million people.

It is something inconceivable. When Tanzania (Tanganyika) gained her independence on December 9, 1961, after years of colonialism, first under Germany and later Britain, the country had only 11 indigenous university graduates.

Records show that 71 per cent of the senior civil service were expatriates and the level of illiteracy among the Tanzania population was at its highest level.

Some revisited documents state that at independence in 1961, the illiteracy rate was 77 per cent while others say it was over 80 per cent.

Tanzania found itself in this situation after independence because in t...