Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has called upon Tanzanians to unite and work together to propel the country’s development and honour the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, one of the founders of the Union.
She made the call during an event at Chamwino State House in Dodoma yesterday, where she conferred Union medals to former national leaders and launched the book “Mwalimu Julius Nyerere: A Photographic Journey.”
“I ask Tanzanians to unite in bringing about real development within our country. Conflicts, breaches of peace and disputes will not bring true progress to our nation,” President Samia said.
The book, she said, serves as a vital tool for educating both avid readers and those less inclined to read, offering a visual journey through the life and contributions of the Father of the Nation.
“In addition to recounting Mwalimu Nyerere’s history, this book forms part of the nation’s and the Union’s history,” she said.
President Samia highlighted Nyerere’s commitment to building an inclusive nation, free from discrimination.
She also stressed the role of women in Nyerere’s journey, acknowledging figures like his mother, Christina Mgaya Nyang’ombe and Mama Maria, as well as political figures like Bibi Titi Mohamed and the first female ministers, Tabitha Siwale and July Maning.
“Mwalimu himself explained in his book ‘Freedom and Women’ his belief that African society’s history shows that when women are given the opportunity, they make significant contributions to their communities,” she said.
President Samia recapped the government’s commitment to advancing Nyerere’s vision, highlighting ongoing initiatives in education, agriculture and infrastructure.
“The government continues to honour Mwalimu Nyerere by advancing and implementing his ideas to bring development to our country and to uphold the name of the United Republic of Tanzania globally,” she said.
She pointed to specific achievements, including achieving 128 per cent food self-sufficiency, implementing an improved education policy focused on skills development and completing projects like the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP).
The Head of State further said Kiswahili language is increasingly being recognised regionally as the official working language in communities and internationally. July 7 of every year is now celebrated as World Kiswahili Day.
President of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, also spoke at the event, acknowledging Nyerere’s significant contribution to the formation of the Union.
“The late Mwalimu Nyerere sought to practically realise the concept of African unity through his idea of urging the late Mzee Karume to unite the former People’s Republic of Zanzibar and the Republic of Tanganyika to form a new nation the United Republic of Tanzania,” he said.
Dr Mwinyi called upon Tanzanians to preserve the Union, highlighting the progress made in resolving Union challenges.
“I commend the great work being done to address Union challenges through joint discussion forums involving representatives from both sides of the Union, which has led to the reduction of outstanding issues from 25 to just three, a major success story worth celebrating, “he said.
He assured that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar would continue to cooperate with the mainland to achieve the goals of the Union’s founders.
“I wish to assure you that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar will continue to cooperate and together we will achieve the goals of our Union’s founders,” he said
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