Author: MARY RAMADHANI
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE life of the late former President Benjamin Mkapa is celebrated by Rwanda, as he played a great role in ensuring that the nation joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2007.
This was said by the Rwandan High Commissioner to Tanzania, Major General Charles Karamba, stating Rwanda’s efforts to join the community, which had started some years back, was fasttracked by the then Tanzanian Head of State, Mzee Mkapa, who passed on suddenly last Friday.
Speaking to the ‘africa-press’ in his office in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, Mr Karamba said despite the obstacles Rwanda was facing, Mzee Mkapa offered great political support to ensure they join the regional bloc.
“Rwanda was accepted in 2006; however, efforts of joining the community started about five years before and the contribution made by Mzee Mkapa for us to join the bloc was huge and we cannot forget it.”
The High Commissioner also expressed gratitude that the late Mkapa helped Rwandan refugees return back home. “I remember back in 1999, there were many Rwandan refugees in Tanzania and after Mzee Mkapa was convinced that Rwanda was calm and citizens had united, he made sure that the refugees returned home safely,” he recalled.
He recollected what Mzee Mkapa stood for, especially on what he said during one of the African Leadership Forums (ALF), where he insisted on having an Africa that is guided by equality of opportunity, promise of a good healthy life and an educated society, promise of a leadership that thinks more of serving than being served.
“His talks were all about the ways African nations could strengthen regional blocs and eventually unite the entire continent, believing this was what was needed for us to develop,” he said.
During the 2014 ALF held in Kigali, Rwanda, in the discussion sessions of ‘leadership for Africa we want’, the late former president explained why we do not have such an Africa, where its people are not promised of good life and health.
“Why don’t we have it? My answer is very clear because we have selfish leadership. We often think of the problem of leadership being the problem of leaders alone; but to succeed, they must be able to implant the leadership attributes to the population,” this is what the late Mkapa said during the forum.
Mzee Mkapa insisted that political parties must be organised in such a way they reflect those values and embody those aspirations in their political interaction, if they don’t, they have trouble.
The iconic diplomat pointed out that Africa has multiethnic societies, “what basic values have we embodied in these societies? Equality or diversity? How do we convert diversity into strength rather than as a cause for war and fighting?” “…It can be done, but we do not have the will because we are selfish and concerned of the here and now and the seat that we are in that is wrong,” he insisted.
He added in his speech, “It was ironic that Africa is a continent with the best natural resources as any others as of today, but it is being extorted for the sustenance of those who enslaved us and continue exploiting us rather than being exploited for the continent’s own benefit.”
Recounting the time he met with Mzee Mkapa, the High Commissioner said that it was memorable because it was clear that he was a humble and peace loving man.
“We talked for a very long time, and during the discussions, he gave me tidbits on international diplomacy, listened and advised me on a lot of matters. I was shocked to hear of his passing, the family has lost a good man, the nation has lost a great leader and an iconic diplomat,” Karamba said.
“I offer my deepest condolences to President John Magufuli, his family and the world at large. He was a great leader that if we all follow his footsteps, we will take our nations on the right path to development with harmony and peace,” he reiterated.
