Author: SYLIVESTER DOMASA, Dodoma
AfricaPress-Tanzania: UGANDA’S President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday appealed to Tanzania’s youth to be patriotic and embrace the principles of Pan-Africanist and founding Father of the Nation, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
Delivering a thanksgiving message shortly after President John Magufuli took the oath of Office for his second presidential term at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma, Museveni said he has been a staunch follower and supporter of Nyerere’s principles for 57-years and has no apology.
“I have noticed large numbers of youth here. As youth, you should cherish the principles of patriotism championed by Mwalimu Nyerere,” he noted.
The ceremony was attended by some Heads of State from neighbouring countries, members of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and thousands of ordinary citizens.President Museveni said after independence some leaders took different lines after they became puppets of their colonial masters.
However, he said, a few of them led by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Zambia’s Keneth Kaunda, Sir Seretse Khama of Botswana, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt refused to deviate from the PanAfricanism line.
According to Museveni after the liberation struggle African leaders came up with four priorities, including liberation, prosperity, brotherhood and strategic security.
He said the continent’s prosperity cannot be attained through begging donor funds, insisting that Africa must engage in massive production of both goods and services.
Giving an example of his own country (Uganda), he said in the past people were asleep trading religious and tribal politics.
“Today they are awake and are into production.” President Museveni said he would be seeking Magufuli’s commitment to helping open up the regional market.
He said current production of beef, dairy, plantain, maize and sugar faces shortage of markets, adding that if Tanzania opens up it could help provide a market for Uganda’s industrial and agricultural goods.
“Uganda’s market is insufficient, I call on President Magufuli to help get additional markets,” he said.
The Ugandan president also expressed his enthusiasm for the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), opening up that he had been keenly following results outflow during the 2015 election as well as the October 28th, 2020 polls.
“It was a tough battle in 2015. As I was following events through TBC and at some point, I held my breath, because you could not guess what will happen next but I later saw a woman (CCM candidate) having a landslide victory in Ilemela constituency (Mwanza). This time again, I was watching TBC 1 as results trickled in when I saw Hai going to CCM. It surprised me but I clearly knew that victory was on the sight,” he said with light touch.
The Ugandan president hailed the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) for having a clear political orientation.
He was quick, however, to doubt the direction of political parties in the country.
“I know the direction of CCM … but not for the other parties,” he said. “Some people think it an easy task but for Africa to succeed we must recall the political orientation.”
The Ugandan leader, who had followed the country’s general election results on state broadcaster, TBC, with Magufuli soundly re-elected for the second five-year term, said he was not worried as compared to 2015 general election.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Dr Magufuli for his re-election as Tanzanian President.
In his congratulatory message President Xi said China and Tanzania are all-weather friends, partners and brothers.
He said the bilateral relations are developing steadily with new fruits being yielded in the exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
“I set great store by China-Tanzania relations, and am ready to work with President Magufuli to push forward the comprehensive partnership between China and Tanzania for greater progress so as to better benefit the two countries and two peoples,” President Xi said.
