Africa-Press – Botswana. Vice President Slumber Tsogwane on Sunday joined other African Heads of State and Government to witness the unveiling of the statue of Tanzania’s founding father, the late Julius Kambarage Nyerere, which took place at African Union Commission compound in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Nyerere led Tanzania from Independence in 1961 until 1985.
Those who took to the podium waxed lyrical about the many daring and heroic exploits done by the late President Nyerere, an anti-colonial activist, politician and political theorist of note.
President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia said it was heart-warming for both the SADC region and indeed the rest of Africa to witness the erection of the statue in honour of the late political icon and pan Africanist, whom his people also referred to as Mwalimu, Swahili for teacher.
“We want to appreciate the work of many who initiated the early ideas to erect this statue here to remember one of our icons, founders of SADC and indeed together with his colleagues, the Organization of African Unity now the African Union,” he said.
The current crop of African leaders, according to President Hichilema, who is also the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security were riding on the shoulders of diligent, dedicated freedom fighters in the mould of Nyerere.
“This statue will be a constant reminder to all of us, individual countries, our regional economic blocks, Africa and the global community of the noble work that this man, this true son of Tanzania, son of Africa did for all of us.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Moussa Mahamat said President Nyerere’s legacy encapsulated the essence of pan-Africanism, profound wisdom and service to Africa.
“Mwalimu played a key role in the establishment of the Organization of Africa Unity in 1963,” he said, adding that during the launch of the OAU, President Nyerere relayed that the organization symbolised the African people’s determination to move forward together.
He said the late President Nyerere’s commitment to unity went beyond the Tanzanian borders as he supported liberation efforts of South Africans and further afield in Palestine and Latin America.
The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed gratitude to both SADC and AU for undertaking the project and providing a place for Mwalimu’s statue besides other great African colossal statesmen, Emperor Haile Selassie and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
Like other speakers before her, she stated that Nyerere’s devotion to a free and peaceful Africa was unmatched.
“To him, Africa’s wellbeing came before popular approval, personal fortune or country wellbeing.
This is evident in our national anthem, where our first prayer of prosperity is for the mother Africa and then to Tanzania.
The late Nyerere’s son, Mr Madaraca Nyerere said in an interview that the family and indeed the people of Tanzania were happy about the gesture by fellow Africans.
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