TRIBUTE
AND OBITUARY
'It is with great sadness that I
announce to you that our beloved
father of the nation, Comrade Julius Kambarage Nyerere, is
dead....'
An ddress to Tanzanians by President Benjamin Mkapa on
October 14, 1999 Special to USAfricaonline.com
Dear citizens, it is with great sadness that I announce
to you that our beloved father of the nation, Comrade Julius
Kambarage Nyerere, is dead. Mwalimu died this morning at
10.30 Tanzanian time at St Thomas's Hospital, London, where
he had been undergoing treatment for leukaemia since 24th
September. Mwalimu and the late Mzee Abeid Amani Karume created the
United Republic of Tanzania, by uniting the Republic of
Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar. Mwalimu
gave this country fame and respect by leading national and
international struggles to liberate the countries of
southern Africa and making efforts to resolve political and
military conflicts in independent neighbouring states. Given
this remarkable leadership record there will be some
citizens who will fear that the unity of the country will be
jeopardised, that our union will disintegrate and our
relations with neighbouring countries will be affected. I beg you, citizens, to believe that Mwalimu succeeded in
building a firm and strong foundation in all these areas.
We, who inherited that unity and union, took an oath to make
it everlasting and continuous. I beg you, citizens, to
cooperate in paying deserved respect to the father of the
nation by remaining committed to the legacy of his work, his
service and his love. Comrade citizens, as we await the body of the father of
the nation, I beg you to remain calm and to maintain our
solidarity, brotherhood and love at this heavy and unique
moment of grief facing our country. The father of the nation will be accorded a full state
funeral. The government will issue further statements later
about the reception of the body of our beloved, and about
the funeral arrangements. We pray to God to rest the soul of
our beloved elder in heaven. God bless our country. God bless Africa.
As
our earlier statements have indicated, the condition of the
father of the nation changed suddenly on Wednesday night,
30th September, and all his organs began to deteriorate.
This caused the doctors to transfer him to the intensive
care unit, where he passed away today. I know that the death
of the father of the nation will shock you and sadden all
Tanzanians. Many will feel anxiety. Mwalimu created the
foundations of unity for our nation and struggled for it
with all his strength.
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