14 Oct
the Tanzanian High Commissioner and broader Tanzanian community in Uganda consisting of students, entrepreneurs, as well as public servants gathered to commemorate the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere at the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre in Makerere. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere is associated with the political trajectory of many post-colonial African states. His resolve and belief in Africa’s capability symbolized an alternate vision of Africa; not as a begging bowl but a continent, if united, with immense potential.
His Excellency Dr. Azizi Ponary Mlima, the High Commissioner of Tanzania re-emphasised the importance of servant leadership, the need to identify things such as the use of a common language like Swahili to promote unity and the importance of spreading Pan-Africanism. Besides highlighting the importance and role of the Swahili language in nation building, #NyerereDay was also used to honour the Swahili journalist, Siraj Kalyango for popularising the use of Swahili in international media houses such as the BBC, VOA and UBC.
The main takeaway was that African leaders must remain resolute in the same way that Mwalimu Nyerere did. Not only in speaking on fundamental issues of corruption, poverty, and social development but envisioning and crafting African solutions to the challenges they present to development.