TAA on its formation opened many branches all over Tanganyika and it was a national party by 1939.
Its members moved around in villages and urban centres in Tanganyika and rallied wide support among Africans.
The major concern of TAA was the slow progress in constitutional changes, as by 1951 there were only four Africans on the Executive council.
TAA was transformed into TANU on 7th July 1954 in a conference held in Dar es Salaam by Julius Nyerere who had just returned from
in Britain and was elected chairman of TAA.
It was therefore Julius Nyerere who turned TANU into a nationwide party after transforming it from TAA.
TANU, therefore, was a national fundamental mass national party that was not based on ethnic ground and the members consisted of educated Africans and rural peasants and miners.
TANU had clear role to ask for independence under majority African government. In its approach, it adopted non-violent means. 10. It was formed to prepare the people of Tanganyika for self rule and independence.
TANU was formed to fight against European exploitation of African resources like land, labour and minerals.
It would also struggle to bring national unity for all the people in Tanganyika.
TANU was supposed to fight against tribalism and destroy it.
It was formed to struggle for democratic government and to have representation in the both local district government and central government.
Under the colonial rule, there was racism and discrimination that TANU wanted to do away with.
TANU would also act as a mouth piece or platform for airing out African views against the white rule.
The Africans had been denied voting rights in Tanganyika. TANU was formed to fight for the extension of voting rights to the Africans.
TANU was formed to encourage the formation of trade unions to fight for the workers’ rights.