President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon leaders under the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to support the construction of the much-needed Mwalimu Nyerere Institute describing it as a seminary for developmental and pan Africanist ideas fronted by the former leader of Tanzania, Julius Kambarage Nyerere also known as Mwalimu Nyerere.
“When the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation brought this idea, I supported it fully because I know what it is. It is like saying why are you building a seminary for the Roman Catholics. They need a seminary to preach about Jesus. We need a seminary for Mwalimu Nyerere ideas,” H.E Museveni said.
The President made the remarks on Saturday 20th January 2024 at the luncheon he organized for delegates of the Non-Aligned Movement who have been attending the Heads of State and Government Summit at Speke Resort Convention Center, Munyonyo.
President Museveni said Mzee Nyerere whose ideas he started following in 1963 will continue to be remembered because he was a good socio-economic doctor who made correct political diagnosis to solve socio-economic problems of all the people without basing on their identity (tribe, religion or gender) like many leaders in Africa at that time.
According to the President, Mzee Nyerere even went ahead together with Kenyatta of Kenya and Obote of Uganda to try forming a Federation of East Africa in 1963, which faced some obstacles.
As a devoted student of Nyerere, Gen. Museveni hailed Nyerere as a fighter against colonialism to liberate the rest of African countries, saying that when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was founded in 1963, the members were only 36.
Another 20 countries were still not independent and that’s why he (Mwalimu) had to work with Mzee Kaunda and others to create the frontline states to support the liberation movements in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa and Guinea Bissau.
According to the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, the institute which will be constructed in Tanzania will cost about 150 million US Dollars.
The Prime minister of Tanzania, Hon. Kassim Majaliwa expressed appreciation to Ugandans and particularly President Museveni for availing Nyerere Foundation as a platform to share their great idea.
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as Prime Minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as President from 1962 to 1964, after which he led its successor state, Tanzania, as President from 1964 to 1985. He was a founding member and chair of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) party, and of its successor Chama Cha Mapinduzi, from 1954 to 1990. Ideologically as an African nationalist and African socialist, he promoted a political philosophy known as Ujamaa.
