Under both the 1962 Republic of Tanganyika constitution and the Zanzibar presidential decree No.5 quoted above, the two presidents had the powers to enter into international agreements on behalf of their governments. What is also important is that the union agreement was ratified by both the Tanganyika parliament and the Zanzibar Revolutionary Council. Contrary to what some writers have said, the Nyalali Commission was satisfied that the Revolutionary Council met to ratify the Articles of Union. Both Abdulrahman Babu and Khamis Abdallah Ameir, the two former Umma party leaders who were in the Revolutionary Council at the time, have confirmed that the matter was discussed in the council, and while there were reservations on the part of some members, these were ‘quashed’ by Abdallah Kassim Hanga who made an emotional intervention to support the union.
Kwa muda sasa wamekuwa wakitumia ujanja wa kulaani uhalisia huo wa kuwa Zanzibar sio nchi na hata ilipotelewa ufafanuzi katika hotuba ya Rais bungeni kuwa Zanzibar ni nchi ndani ya Tanzania na na nje ya nchi katika yale masuala yasiyo ya Muungano tu, kama mbinu ya kujenga hisia kuwa ajenda zao nyingi ikiwemo ya kuvunja Muungano ni ajenda ya Kitaifa ya Wazanzibari uuku wakijua kuwa hilo sio kweli.