Resources Speeches and Statements

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, This is my first visit to the University of Toronto but it is very far from being my first contact with it. People from this University have worked at our University College in Dar es Salaam and in many different sectors of our Government; they have made great contributions to our progress. We have many old and valued friends here: people to whom we are indebted for good service gladly rendered.

Let me begin, therefore, by expressing to this University our appreciation for the co-operation and assistance we have received. You have released good people to work with us, and not just sent the people you could most gladly spare! Let me also say "thank you" to the individuals concerned. They have helped us to implement our policies; they have helped us to see and to understand the problems we are faced with; when we have asked, they have suggested alternative solutions to these problems—though I must hasten to add that they bear no responsibility for our failures.

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Arusha Declaration Parliament 1970, In June, 1965 I came to this House to announce the Dissolution of the Independence Parliament, and in September of that year we had our first election under the One Party State Constitution.

Since then we have made many changes in Tanzania; it is appropriate that, at this last regular meeting of what may be called the Arusha Declaration Parliament, I should remind Members of our purposes and out achievements, as well as mention some of the things which remain to be done.

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Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members of Parliament.
This is the last session of the current Parliament, and in accordance with the Constitution i have already published the Notice" calling for elections when this Sitting has ended.

In 1975, when this Parliament was elected, the economy of Tanzania was described as being in a worse condition than at any previous time since independence. Unfortunately our troubles did not end that year. The whole Five Years of this Parliament has been a period of difficulties. We have had drought, floods, war, and the problems arising from the break-up of the East African Community. And like all other

Third World countries we have had to face great increases in the price of oil and in the price of manufactured goods. Therefore this Parliament began at a time of difficulties, and it ends at a time of difficulties.
Today I do not intend to give a long description of our progress and our problems during the past five years; nor do I want to survey the statistics of our achievements and future plans.

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Tanzania Rejects Western Domination 1978, Statement by President Julius K. Nyerere

I have been very concerned indeed about world reactions to recent events in Africa, and it seems to me to be necessary that I should make Tanzania's position clear. For the events of the past few weeks have once again demonstrated that although, our legal independence is officially recognized, our need and our right to develop our countries and our continent in our own interests has not yet been conceded in practice. The habit of regarding Africa as an appendage of Western Europe has not yet been broken.

Soviet Forces in Africa:
In Angola the M.P.L.A. did almost all the fighting against the Portuguese colonialists. As independence approached after the Revolution in Portugal, various Western countries-led by the United States of America decided to try to prevent the establishment of an M.P.L.A. Government in that country.

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Ndugu Wananchi,
Leo ni siku ya Mashujaa. Siku hii kila mwaka tunawakumbuka mashujaa wetu waliojitoa kupigana na wavamizi kutoka katika nchi za nje au wageni waliotaka kuitawala nchi yetu. Tunawakumbuka, kwa heshima, wale walio-pigana kuwazuia Wakoloni wasiitawale Tanzania, na waie waliopigana katika vita vya Maji Maji katika jitihada za kupinga utawala wa Kijerumani.

Wachache wao tuna-wafahamu, na majina yao tunayaheshimu: mashujaa kama Mkwawa, Mirambo, na Mputa. Lakini wengi wao hatuwafahamu kwa majina; ila tunafahamu tu ya kwamba waiipigana, na kufa, katika jitihada za kutetea uhuru wa nchi yetu.   Tunawakumbuka na kuwaheshimu.

Leo tena tunawakumbuka mashujaa hao kwa fahari. Juhudi zao na vitendo vyao vilitutia moyo siku za nyuma na vinatutia moyo mpaka sasa. Hatutawasahau.

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The Third Word and International Economic Structure 1976

Mr. Chairman, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.

We are often told that riches are not synonymous with happiness; that life is more than economics. I do not disagree; nor do I challenge the statement that the Gross National Product of a country fails to indicate the quality of life there. But it is the well-off who can make such statements. To the starving, good and assured food is the quality of life. For a woman who now has to walk miles for water, a village tap might mean life itself.

The United Nations has estimated that in 1972 the per capita G.N.P. in Germany was in the region of $3,390; that of Tanzania was about $120. Taking the rich countries as a whole, the average per capita G.N.P. was $2,790 in 1970. For those classified as very poor, the average was the same figure as that given for Tanzania two years later 8120.

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Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament
This is the first time I have spoken to this Parliament' although I have on a number of occasions spoken to Members at Party and other meetings. It will probably also be the last time before the General Election later this year. In the past five years many changes have been made in our country.

Candidates in the coming elections will be seeking votes from many new voters and from a different political and economic society than that which existed in 1970. Many of the changes and achievements in Tanzania have stemmed from the work of this Parliament.

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