Adjusting administrative divisions was clearly not something accomplished overnight; it involved games of contention among all parties. After all, it concerned the distribution of resources, most typically livelihood projects such as education and healthcare. Especially under East Africa's system, only provincial-level administrative regions could enjoy the related resources that came with upgrading.
In November 1896, the East African government released a preliminary plan for adjusting East Africa's administrative divisions.
"Based on a comprehensive consideration of data from all regions nationwide, we intend to divide the country into forty-five provincial-level administrative regions, including Lanfang Overseas Province and the two new provinces established on Madagascar Island, but excluding overseas colonies."
"There is also one special region: the Congo rainforest region. Due to its climatic characteristics, we intend to retain its function as a protected area, with an administrative rank equivalent to a province."
"Furthermore, because of Rhine City, we intend to abolish the original Central Province, separating portions of Hohenzollern Province, Swabia Province, and Salzburg Province to form a new Central Province. This way, the future Central Province will truly lie at the geographical heart of East Africa. As for the original Central Province, it will resume the name Coastal Province."
Coastal Province was the present Central Province, the region where First Town was located. During East Africa's early days, it had been one of the three Coastal Districts, when East Africa's administrative divisions were still determined by major regions.
"In the Mozambique Region, we will establish five new provinces: Tete Province, Nyasaland Province, Zambezi River Province, Rhodesia Province, and Plains Province, with Tete City, Nacala City, Quelimane City, Bella City, and Xinxiang City serving as their respective provincial capitals."
Naturally, Nyasaland had been another name for Lake Malawi in Ernst's previous life. Likewise, Rhodesia had been the name for places such