Paper short abstract:

This paper analyses the discourse around the role of citizens with a special focus on East African Asians in Tanzania and Uganda and the question of if they could become ‘good citizens’ and how they could or could not rid themselves of the long lasting stereotypes as paper citizens and economic exploiters.

Paper long abstract:

With the dissolution of colonial rule, the question of citizenship and the active role of citizens in building the nation popped up in all East African states. The paper will investigate the discourse surrounding citizenship, loyalty and the rights and obligations which came along with it focusing on the Asian minorities in Tanzania and Uganda and the question if and how they could become real citizens (in contrast to paper citizens as what they were often described in the local press). As they were often still seen as colonial exploiters who perceived the Africans as inferior to them the paper will cover the question of how long lasting stereotypes hindered integration for Asians as citizens, how those stereotypes and clichés were reinforced by certain behaviours of some members of the minority and how Asians were often presented as counterexample of the good citizen. Especially in Tanzania the Asians' identity as a mostly urban minority confirmed the perception of the Asian as a saboteur of socialism and exploiter of the ideal citizens (the rural Mwananchi).

By using mainly Hansards, newspapers and political speeches as source material, the paper will highlight different waves in the debate surrounding citizenship which were sparked by political events: the introduction of self-governing in 1961 (TZ) and 1962 (UG), the introduction of immigration laws in East Africa (1967-1969) and the Arusha Declaration (1967); the Tanzania Building Acquisition Act (1972) and the expulsion of the Ugandan Asians (1972).