BUTIAMA, the ancestral home of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, where his tomb now lies, is located in Butiama District, off Musoma /Mwanza highway, in Mara Region.
This unique place is open for every
visitor who wishes to pay a courtesy call on the home of Mwalimu and the
Mwalimu Nyerere Museum which is equipped with rich, historical
collections on Mwalimu, the teacher and revered leader.
“We have made the residence of Mwalimu
Nyerere accessible to the public, and can be visited by anybody. We’ve
established during the visit, many people would like to know about the
kind of a leader Mwalimu used to be, ” said Madaraka, the sixth son of
Mwalimu, in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News ‘ during a visit
to Butiama early this week.
Therefore, many people including
students have been visiting Butiama to learn about his life and
leadership. Mr Emmanuel Kiondo , the Director of Mwalimu Nyerere Museum
says the museum has a variety of gifts and awards given to Mwalimu
Nyerere, from various sources, inside and outside the country.
It also has some of his clothes he used
to wear and document ed historical information about his leadership.
Upon arrival at the museum, one simply understand how Mwalimu was a
great leader even without narration from the staff of the museum who are
always available and ready to take visitors around and see what is
inside.
The museum receives an average of 10,000
visitors each year from different from in and outside the country. Mr
Kiondo says their wish is to see this number going up significantly. He
therefore invited local and foreign visitors so that they can experience
real life of Mwalimu and many things that they do not know about him.
“We are getting visitors from different
parts of the country. Some are coming from outside the country. I call
upon Tanzanians to visit Mwalimu Nyerere Museum so that they enjoy.
There are many things to see and this is
one of the amazing tourist destinations we have in Mara Region”, the
director of the museum said. He said doors for visitors are open to
visit the museum every day with students paying only Tanzania shillings
500/- per head, adults from Tanzania and other East African countries (
Sh 1,500) and foreigners (6,500/-) per head.
Mwalimu Nyerere Museum is one of the
several museums found in various parts of the country. The museum was
officially inaugurated in July 2, 1999 by the former Prime Minister
Fredrick Sumaye after its construction was successfully completed with
the support of the government.
“The construction of Mwalimu Nyerere
Museum started in 1987-1999 and the view of the government was it that
it was going to be the property of Mwalimu Nyerere and that is why it
was built on his land but he (Nyerere) rejected and made it the property
of Tanzanians and thus, this is one of the national museums”, Mr Kiondo
narrated.
Mr Madaraka is happy that despite that
it is now 18 years with Mwalimu Nyerere still many people remember his
father and talk good things about him. “Majority are talking good things
about him (Mwalimu) that he was an ethical leader who put ahead the
interests of his country.
Besides that they say he was not a thief
and he was a leader who worked so hard to build strong foundations of
unit not only in Tanzania but in Africa as a whole”, Mr Madaraka said.
His words were echoed by Ms Rosemary Nyerere during the same interview
with the ‘Daily News’ on Tuesday.
“18 years is a long time, still Mwalimu
Nyerere is a role model,’’ Ms Rosemary who is also another child of the
late Mwalimu Nyerere said.
Rosemary and Madaraka have been given an
opportunity to represent their family in the Board of Trustees of the
Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Sheikh Amani Karume Trust Fund
which is responsible to collect and preserve records and antiquities.
Mr Madaraka further said he writes
feature articles in newspapers and social media using Mwalimu Nyerere
quotes in an effort to honour his works.
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