*"NYERERE WAS A DEVOTED LEADER" - Museven

By Paul Mallimbo, Kampala

President Yoweri Museveni has described the late Tanzanian leader, Mwalimu Kambarage Julius Nyerere, as having led a devoted practicing Christian life and that he was well known by his fruits in not only uniting the people of Tanzania, but also for his contribution to the liberation of several countries in Africa.

The President was speaking to a huge congregation, comprising pilgrims from East Africa and beyond, who had gathered at the Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine in Namugongo, to pray for the beatification and canonization of the late Tanzanian leader Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

The cause and process to beatify and canonize the late Nyerere, who died on 14th October 1999, was initiated on the 21st of January 2006 at Butiama in Tanzania .

Prayers for the express process of beatification and canonization of the late Nyerere to sainthood were intensified by the widow, Mama Maria Nyerere and the family took up the cause with the Catholics of Uganda selecting the 1st of June as the day for prayers.

The day is celebrated at Namugong concurrently with the 3rd of June the Uganda Martyrs’ Day. An official announcement concerning beatification is now being awaited from the Vatican in Rome .

President Museveni told the congregation that he was speaking as a witness to late the Nyerere’s Christian faith and pledged to invite leaders of Africa who worked with Mwalimu to attend subsequent prayers in order to give their testimony on late Nyerere’s faith.

“Mwalimu was able to unite over 100 tribes in Tanzania saying you are all children of God. Mwalimu was a practicing Christian who shaped Tanzania and made the country the only peaceful nation in East Africa for all these years,” he asserted.

The President further noted that the late Mwalimu Nyerere contributed to the liberalization of Uganda , Mozambique , Zimbabwe , South Africa , Angola and Namibia .

He thanked President Jakaya Kikwete and the entire congregation for coming to show solidarity in prayers to cause the beatification and canonization of the late Mwalimu to sainthood.

He disclosed that Uganda will continue honoring Mwalimu Nyerere and has named one of the army barracks after his name.

To the pilgrims from Tanzania , President Museveni welcomed them to Uganda saying the country is their home as the peoples of the region and the continent are one.

President Jakaya Kikwete, who is in the country to attend the 1st Review Conference of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that opened in Kampala yesterday, told the congregation that Mwalimu Nyerere was the father of Tanzania who led the struggle for the independence of that country.

“Mwalimu made a sacrifice. He gave up a good teaching job for the independence struggle of Tanzania . Very few people could do that,” he observed.

President Kikwete further disclosed that Mwalaimu Nyerere led a process of building Tanzania for 23 years and succeeded in uniting a peaceful and stable country.

He added that the people of Tanzania will always be very grateful for those attributes.

“If there is a process anywhere on the planet where Mwalimu is recognized, to us it is a duty for us to be associated with that process”, he said.

President Jakaya Kikwete thanked Catholics in Uganda for supporting the cause and raising the wish of Catholics in Tanzania for the process of canonizing the late Nyerere to be expedited.

Addressing Tanzanian pilgrims soon after performing the ceremony of planting trees together with his host President Museveni, the visiting Tanzanian leader, Jakaya Kikwete, told them that the people of East Africa are one and working towards making Africa one nation.

“It is an expression of oneness for the people of East Africa, a demonstration of the people that we are one irrespective of one’s ethnicity or religious affiliation”, he said.

The main celebrant Archbishop, Archbishop Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Kampala Archdiocese, thanked President Museveni and the government for promoting the devotion to the Uganda Martyrs by declaring the 3rd of June each year as a public holiday.

He advised the youth to emulate the Uganda Martyrs, who were young as they are, to denounce evil and stand for the good.

The visiting Bishop of Bukoba Diocese in Tanzania, the Rt. Rev. Methodius Kilaini, who is leading pilgrims from his country to Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations due on 3rd June 2010, noted that the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere made a lot of sacrifices in the liberation of many African countries and that is what makes him a hero, not only in Tanzania but also in Africa.

The service was attended by Mwalimu Nyerere’s widow, Mama Maria Nyerere and family members.

By Paul Mallimbo, Kampala Uganda
President Yoweri Museveni has described the Review Conference of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is taking place in Kampala as an opportunity to discredit the claim that the ICC is a court for Europeans to judge Africans. He urged Africans in general to embrace it adding that they are the beneficiaries.

The Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened yesterday at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort and will last until June 11, 2010.

The conference represents the first opportunity to consider amendments to the Rome Statute and to take stock of its implementation and impact since it entered into force in 2002.

Over 2000 representatives of States, non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations are participating at the conference.

The president was speaking at the State Banquet in honor of the Secretary General of the United Nations H.E Ban Ki-Moon and heads of delegations of the ICC member states at State House Entebbe .

The president noted that Uganda having suffered her share of war atrocities, the conference is a chance to interact and share first hand, with the victims of the terrorists.

He said Uganda has joined the rest of the world to condemn the acts of terrorism and genocide.

'' Uganda has joined the rest of the world to assert that cowardly acts of terrorism, genocide and other acts of genocide shall not be tolerated'', he said.

The president said that the restoration of peace and security, good governance and Prosperity for All (PFA) was on top of the agenda of the National Resistance Movement.

He said Uganda has been privileged to participate in the peace building processes in the region and pledged to continue protecting human rights and work for peace.

The Secretary General of the United Nations H.E Ban Ki Moon described the conference as a reminder that the victims of atrocities perpetrated by the LRA are at the centre of international justice. He saluted the president and his NRM government for his efforts towards fighting impunity.

The President of the Republic of Tanzania , Mr. Jakaya Kikwete re affirmed his country’s commitment to the ICC in fulfillment of its set objectives.