Yoweri Museveni has described the former president of the United Republic of Tanzania the late Julius Mwalimu Kambarage Nyerere as the greatest African that has ever lived in terms of value addition to the Africans effort for freedom and dignity. Mwalimu Nyerere was President of Tanzania between 1964-1985. He died in 1999.
“I have been most pleased to have been Julius Nyerere follower, a student and a comrade in arms”, he said.
President Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady Hon. Janet Museveni was yesterday Friday delivering the keynote address at the inauguration of Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation Building in Dar es Salaam.
The President and his counterpart President John Pombe Magufuli perfumed joint ceremonies during the Symposium held under the theme: “One World, One Humanity; Revisiting the Legacy of Mwalimu Nyerere”.
The wife of Julius Nyerere, Mama Maria Nyerere, the Tanazania former Heads of State Benjamin Mkapa; Jakaya Kikwete; government officials, the Board of Governors of the foundation among other dignitaries witnessed the ceremony.
Mr. Museveni reminded the gathering that the Nyerere Foundation that had just been inaugurated was Nyerere’s personal vision that he created before he died.
“I am glad that the Chinese have come to our aid to put the reality true and engineered the formula to design the structure. I thank the former Tanzanian presidents for the land on which the building stands and other key players who upheld the vision of Myalimu Julius Nyerere. This complex building is not only a facility for office use but also for raising the money for its maintenance”, he said.
Mr. Museveni further noted that Uganda has great praise for Mwalumu Nyerere more so when Idi Amin invaded Kagera Salient in 1978 and Nyerere stood with Uganda.
“Nyerere was not only courageous but also skillful and decisive. His qualities eventually contributed to the victory of all African freedom fighters in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and DR Congo,” he said.
On democracy, President Museveni commended Nyerere’s sense of discipline and respect for humanity.
“For the 24 years of Mwalimu Nyerere’s rule, there is no record of a single incident of extra judicial killing by the state of Tanzania, which the ruling party in Uganda NRM has emulated. NRM has never parted from Nyerere morally and strategically correct position”, President Museveni said.
Commenting on the issue of prosperity for African people, President Museveni said Mwalimu Nyerere took determined decision for the road construction to Namaanga, the railway line to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, built the University of Dar es Salaam and started away for factories as parastatals.
President Museveni reminded the EAC governments that it was unfortunate that the community collapsed in 1970s because of bad governance reasoning that the EAC is the saviour of many enterprises in the respective member states.
“The economic integration of African countries helps to address the issue of socio-economic prosperity by uniting continental markets if the integration is seriously implemented,” he said.
President John Pombe Magufuli said the building is a modern nice complex, with various facilities including the library, archive of Nyerere writings and bears the status of late Nyerere especially the auditorium.
“Many generations will appreciate and continue to cherish Nyerere contributions and qualities; the defender of justice, favoured reality and unity, zeal of determination to act and most important, for Africa’s socio-economic and political self-dependence. As part of government, we shall continue to implement the goals of our predecessors”, said Magufuli.
Mr. Joseph Butiku who delivered the historical back ground of Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation building using the late Nyerere’s quote “The ideas of the country associated with my name will continue working in society” said that Mwlimu envisaged to work for Africa to address Africans inheritance.
He said the MNF building is a symbol for peace and development.
The Chinese constructed the 29-storied facility with 250 hotel rooms, conference halls at the cost of $ 120 million US dollars.
The symposium participants observed a moment of silence upon the untimely death of the founding of Zimbabwe the late Robert Mugabe who was a close associate to Mwalimu Nyerere.