The African Union (AU) has unveiled the statue of Tanzania’s founding father the late Julius Kambarage Nyerere, popularly known as “Mwalimu,”.
The ceremony is taking place on the sidelines of the 37th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government that is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It will go a long way in honoring Nyerere’s contribution to the Liberation of the Southern African Countries and his promotion of peace and security in Africa.
On 12 October 2016, the African Union Commission (AUC) inaugurated the Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building at the African Union Headquarters.
About to Happen – Unveiling of the Statue in honour of H.E Mwalimu Julius Kambarge Nyerere at the Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building @_AfricanUnion pic.twitter.com/Mq4xVGgccP
— African Union Political Affairs Peace and Security (@AUC_PAPS) February 18, 2024
The building has enhanced the African Union’s capabilities of discharging its mandate of promoting peace, security and stability in Africa.
The proposal to construct Mwl. Nyerere statue at the Peace and Security Building at the African Union Headquarters was primarily recommended by the late Robert Mugabe, Former President of Zimbabwe during their 35th SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government which was held in August 2015 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Mugabe came up with a mechanism to honor the Legacy of the SADC Founding Fathers and he further urged SADC leaders to recognize the contribution made by the Founding Fathers to the Liberation of the Region and the Continent.
Two other statues of Ghanaian Pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile Selassie were inaugurated in 2019 and 2012 respectively.
