Speech to the Parliament by Mwalimu Nyerere 1985

Mr. Speaker; Honourable Members of Parliament.

Today, as it is the last time I shall be addressing this House, I propose to look at some of the things which we have done since I was first entrusted with the task of leading our independent country. 1 want to look at these in the context of the objectives we set ourselves in 1961, 1962, and 1964. I wish, through you, to offer an account to the people who have so consistently re-elected me to lead this country. And I wish to indicate my own provisional assessment of those national achievements and problems which I shall be passing to my successor to deal with in cooperation with the next Parliament.

The single most important task - both for myself and for the people of this country - which I set out in my Inaugural Address in December 1962 was that of buiIding a united nation on the basis of human equality and dignity. When I addressed the United Nations a year before, 1 also promised that the basis of our nation's actions would be an honest attempt to honour the dignity and equality of man - nationally and internationally. And the theme of unity was my central point when I again addressed Parliament on 25th April 1964, asking for the ratification of the Agreement to unite the two independent countries of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.