Tribute to Nyerere By Benjamin William Mkapa

By Benjamin William Mkapa,

As Managing Editor of then ruling Party and Government Newspapers, I used to post a column regularly, entitled: What they say about US. In this I reproduce features or news analysis, both favourable and critical of Tanzania, written by journalists from all sort of local and International newspapers.

This year we celebrate fifty years of the independence of mainland Tanzania. And to-day we commemorate the passing on of its Founding Father, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere. Having worked with him I have been reflecting on what I could say about him. I have decided that the best tribute I can pay to his life and work is to recall the Eulogy I made on the occasion of the State Funeral at the National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam on 21^st October 1999. Here it is.

 State Funeral for Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere

One of the legacies of President Mkapa is his handling of the illness, death and subsequent funeral of the Founding President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere. On Mwalimu’s State Funeral on Thursday, 21^st October 1999 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, President Mkapa delivered the following eulogy.