Tangibar

What Tanganyika's Julius Nyerere lacks in toughness he makes up for in statesmanlike skill. Last week, with scarcely a twitch of his toothbrush mustache, Nyerere swallowed -- whole -- the People's Republic of Zanzibar.

Ultimatum. A strong adherent of African nonalignment, Nyerere shared the fears of Western leaders that Zanzibar, since its savage coup last January against the old Arab ruling crowd, was sliding into the Communist camp. Early last month, Nyerere sent Foreign Minister Oscar Kambona winging across the 23-mile channel that separates the two countries with an ultimatum: unless Zanzibar halted its leftward slither, Tanganyika would dissociate itself from Zanzibar and withdraw the 300 field policemen who have been on loan there since the coup to keep order.

The threat struck home with Zanzibar's President Abeid Karume. Should Nyerere's cops be withdrawn, the only effective force on Zanzibar would be 300 bullyboys armed with automatic rifles who take orders from Peking-leaning Foreign Minister Abdul Rahman Mohamed, and it is "Babu" who wants Moderate Karume's job. Alarmed, Karume flew to Dar es Salaam to plead with Nyerere, who listened sympathetically and offered a counter proposal: let Zanzibar immediately merge with Tanganyika.

The idea had a lot to recommend it. Tiny Zanzibar (pop. 315,000) has been suffering economically since the coup, and merger with Tanganyika (pop. 10 million) could only help. More important, Nyerere's Tanganyika African National Union and Karume's Afro-Shirazi Party are close ideologically.

Indigestion? Last week Nyerere flew to Zanzibar in his new green and white Aero Commander and with Karume signed the articles of union, which were later ratified by the governing bodies of both countries. Missing the chance to take a flavorsome name like Tangibar, the new nation will be known simply as the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, with Nyerere as President and Karume as First Vice President.

Zanzibar's Vice President Kassim Hanga, a Moscow-educated leftist, seemingly approved of the merger, but he can be just as poisonous as Babu, and may yet try to show Nyerere that he has bitten off more than he can chew. As for Babu himself, the two Presidents had carefully waited until he was off on a Far Eastern tour before breaking the news. In Pakistan, Babu was stunned, told newsmen who asked for comment that "I'd better keep my big mouth shut." Then he caught the next jet for home. Fearing that the big mouth might open for a little rabble-rousing on Babu's return, Karume placed his police on alert.

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