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The then leaders of the Front Line States (from left) Tanzania’s Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Mozambique’s Samora Moises Machel, Botswana’s Quett Masire, Angola’s Eduardo dos Santos and Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda spearheaded the decolonisation of Southern Africa

MWALIMU Julius Kambarage Nyerere was the father of Southern African liberation, and one of the founding fathers of the Southern African Development Community.  Born in Butiama near Lake Victoria on April 13 1922, when he passed away 15 years ago on October 14 1999, Africans everywhere shared the sense of loss felt by Tanzanians.  He was Baba wa taifa, father of the nation, the moving force for the independence of Tanganyika on December 9 1961 and for its unity with Zanzibar on April 26 1964 to create the United Republic of Tanzania.

A charismatic leader of sharp intellect and great personal integrity, he welded…

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My generation led Africa to political freedom. The current generation of leaders and peoples of Africa must pick up the flickering torch of African freedom, refuel it with their enthusiasm and determination, and carry it forward,” said Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere, one of the founding fathers of the OAU, in a speech given in Accra on the occasion of Ghana’s 40th independence anniversary celebrations on 6 March 1997. This piece is extracted from that speech.

In May 1963, 32 independent African states met in Addis Ababa, founded the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and established the Liberation Committee of the new organisation, charging it with the duty of coordinating the liberation struggle in those parts of Africa still under colonial rule. The following year, 1964, the OAU met in Cairo [Egypt]. The Cairo Summit is remembered mainly for the declaration of the heads of state of independent Africa to respect the borders inherited from colonialism. The principle of non-interference in internal affairs of member states of the OAU had been enshrined in the [OAU] Charter itself. Respect for the borders inherited from colonialism came from the Cairo Declaration of 1964.

In 1965, the OAU met in Accra [Ghana]. That summit is not as well remembered as the founding summit in 1963 or the Cairo Summit of 1964. The fact that Nkrumah did not last long as head of state of Ghana after that summit may have contributed…

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Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the founding father of Tanzania, is one of the pioneers of African nationalism and Pan-Africanism. He was not only the principal actor in the struggle for Tanganyika's independence but he was also at the forefront of the liberation of central and southern Africa.

Title: The Story of Julius Nyerere, Africa's Elder Statesman - From the pages of DRUM
ISBN: 9976 973 52 7 (Mkuki na Nyota)
ISBN: 9970 02 153 2 (Fountain Publishers)
Publishers: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
Fountain Publishers: Kampala - Uganda

After independence, he united Tanganyika and Zanzibar to create the modern Republic of Tanzania. For twenty three years he presided over the affairs of Tanzania and forged a distinct Tanzanian national identity.

He played a key role in the formation of OAU, the East African Community and was the leader of the Frontline States in the liberation struggle against white-ruled southern Africa.
He ruled peacefully, retired voluntarily and oversaw a peaceful transfer of power to his successors. The story of Nyerere captures the most significant milestones in his leadership of Tanzania and Africa as a whole.

Contents: Preface - The 1800s to the 1950s - Independence
"The uncertain years - African Socialism - The years in between - Zanzibar - Nyerere's last decade - The end of an…

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Speech By President Nelson Mandela at a Banquet in Honour of Julius Nyerere, Johannesburg, 17 October 1997

Master of Ceremonies; Mwalimu Julius Nyerere; Mr Nicky Oppenheimer; Honoured guests;

It is a great pleasure to share in this occasion honouring one of Africa's great patriots.

It is a humbling experience to recall the contribution that Mwalimu Nyerere has made to the liberation of our continent, and to freedom in South Africa.

This is the freedom fighter who heard Chief Luthuli's appeal and joined Trevor Huddleston in launching the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain in 1959; a leader whose decisive intervention at the Commonwealth Conference after the Sharpeville Massacre led to the exclusion of apartheid South Africa.

I had the personal privilege of meeting him many years ago, in 1962, when I visited Tanzania seeking help as we embarked on the armed struggle. Then, as now, I was struck by his lucid thoughts; his burning desire for justice everywhere; and his commitment to Africa's interests.

After the independence of Tanzania, Mwalimu, as its head of state, continued to play an important role in the struggle for justice and democracy not only in Africa, but throughout the world.

The people of Tanzania gave unstinting support to the liberation of South Africa. They gave recognition of the most practical kind to the principle that our freedom and theirs were interdependent.

Today, as free nations we have…

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Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere was the father of southern African liberation, and one of the founding fathers of the Southern African Development Community. Born in Butiama near Lake Victoria on 13 April 1922, when he passed away 10 years ago on 14 October 1999, Africans everywhere shared the sense of loss felt by Tanzanians.

He was Baba wa taifa, father of the nation, the moving force for the independence of Tanganyika on 9 December 1961 and for its unity with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to create the United Republic of Tanzania. A charismatic leader of sharp intellect and great personal integrity, he welded a country and a national identity from over 120 ethnic groups, united by their language Swahili and by a social harmony constructed on the ideals of peace, justice, unity and personal commitment.

His firm support for equality and tolerance ranged across all diversity of race, religion, class and gender. He encouraged Tanzanian women to play a leadership role in society and adopted a parliamentary system that has guaranteed seats for women. His pursuit of an equitable socio-economic society through collective self-reliance was more difficult than he had envisaged, and he once said that "we are very good at sharing the wealth in Tanzania but I only wish we had made more wealth to share."

Tanganyika's independence in 1961 was an inspiration to those who believed that political independence could be achieved by non-violent means and he worked tirelessly…

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Speech by Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere at the Opening Ceremony of the Second Meeting of the Council of Representatives at the U.N. Trusteeship Council in New York on the 21st September 1998

Council of Representatives of the South Centre. We are honoured by the presence of our distinguished guests -President Mandela and Minister Al Atas, whom I warmly welcome and thank for finding some time in their very busy schedules to be able to be with us here.

During the next two years the Council will be exploring in detail the work accomplished and the experience gained during the last three years and it will chart the future course of the Centre. At this opening session, and in the presence of our distinguished leaders from South, I would like to stress the political and practical significance of the South Centre.

Today, we in the South live and operate in an external economic and political environment which profoundly affects and limits our situation and our choices and economic and social environment is not .'God given". It is "man made", and those who design it and run it happen to be the powerful from the North.

We from the South have little say, if any regarding this external setting, its rules and the application of these rules. We have very little, if any, influence on its operation and its management. Our position has not been helped by the pronounced weakening of the United Nations rote and voice in the economic sphere, and the general erosion of…

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International high level conference on mwalimu julius.kambarage nyerere to be held at the university of edinburgh, scotland 9th -12t of november, 2009.

Today the world knows a lot about President Nelson Mandela but seemingly conveniently always forgetting that Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, a late Tanzanian President was a man behind Mandela Success. Without Nyerere effort's we probably would have had the Mandela's success story as we have it today, as presented to the world.

Let me walk you down the history lane to refresh our recollection. In 1959 Mwalimu Nyerere together with Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, founded the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain. In 1980s during the campaign for South Africa Nuclear Disarmament, the movement had individual membership of 6,000 people, and attracted 700 organizations, including the Labour, Liberal and Social Democratic parties affiliated. These together represented more than 18 million people.

This implies that whatever success Mandela is afforded it was because of Mwalimu Nyerere's high involvement which made it happen. In sum Tanzania could have had a better economy today if it did not accept sacrifices in building the future and freedom fighting for the region of southern Africa. Mwalimu Nyerere was true to his principles and his vision. He empowered ANC and Mandela. At the end, his vision of a liberated Africa was achieved.

Mwalimu Nyerere's story is one of the best untold stories as…

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