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Joseph Ngwawi in GABORONE, Botswana
FORMER Sadc chairperson President Mugabe of Zimbabwe has called on African countries to come up with a mechanism to honour the legacy of founding fathers such as former Tanzanian leader Julius Nyerere. Speaking during the official opening of the 35th Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government underway in Gaborone, Botswana, President Mugabe called on fellow Sadc and African leaders to recognise those who contributed to the liberation of the region and the continent.

He cited the sterling contribution made by Nyerere and other southern African leaders such as former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda and late Botswana leader Seretse Khama to the liberation of southern Africa and the continent.

Going down memory lane, Mugabe said visits to Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania always invoke fond memories of the golden generation of selfless leaders who sacrificed the economic freedom of their countries to ensure that the rest of the region achieved political independence.

He said leaders such as Dr Nyerere had to bear the greatest burden of freeing Africa by accommodating liberation fighters in his country and providing them with logistical and military support.

He also praised the role played by Botswana’s first president, Seretse Khama, in assisting liberation fighters from Zimbabwe during the neighbouring country’s war of independence.

The leaders of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe met in Lusaka, Zambia on 1 April 1980 to establish the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (Sadcc) – precursor to Sadc – after a series of consultations by representatives of the Frontline States to forge closer alliance.

Since its establishment, Sadc has achieved a number of milestones aimed at advancing political and economic freedom.

However, little has been done to pay tribute to those who sacrificed and dedicated their lives to the ideals of attaining political freedom and deepening regional integration.

“Let us remember those that have endowed us with this legacy. This could be in the form of something. Can’t we have a fund in their honour?” Mugabe said as he delivered a keynote address before handing over the Sadc chair to President Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana.

He announced that a picture book on the history and life of Nyerere would be launched during the summit as one of the ways of honouring one of the continent’s illustrious sons.

The commemorative picture book on Nyerere, titled Asante Sana, Thank You Mwalimu, was co-published by the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (Sardc), House of Books and African Publishing Group in Zimbabwe as well as Mkuki na Nyota of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Born on April 13 1922 in Buitama near Lake Victoria, Mwalimu dedicated his life to the ideals of human dignity and common humanity.

In October 1959, when most of Africa was still under colonial rule, he made a commitment on behalf of his people.

“We, the people of Tanganyika, would like to light a candle and put it on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro which would shine beyond our borders giving hope where there was despair, love where there was hate, and dignity where there was before only humiliation,” Mwalimu said in a speech that came to be known as “A Candle on Kilimanjaro”.

True to his principles and his vision, all countries in Africa are independent today, and it is said when he died on October 14 1999, he “carried the torch that liberated Africa.”

When other countries in the region were engaged in the liberation struggle for independence, Tanzania provided political, material and moral support until independence and majority rule was achieved. – sardc.net.