Speeches 2007

Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award for Justice

Venue: American Embassy, Dar es Salaam.

January 23, 2007

Remarks by Hon. Rashid Mfaume Kawawa

Hon. U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania,
Hon. Ministers and Retired Leaders,
Hon. Ambassadors from other countries,
Hon. Leaders of Religious Organizations and Political Parties,
Hon. Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

First and foremost, we thank God who has given us all life, strength, knowledge, and a sound mind which have enabled us to gather here today in a historic moment for me personally and for the country of Tanzania.

Today is an important historic day in my life for having been awarded the 2007 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award.

Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, I thank you and all the people who organized this occasion for finding me worthy to receive this very important award. I hereby declare that I accept the award and I will always cherish it because it has bestowed a great honour upon me, my wife, my family, my country, and all Tanzanians in general.

Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, I personally and my country recognize the great contribution and strong commitment of the late Dr. Martin King towards liberation and human rights he demonstrated during his life. This will never be forgotten, and that is why his name is mentioned and remembered, long after his departure from this world. He is an example worth emulating. I want to congratulate you for establishing this award which is conferred annually to deserving personalities of your choice. I CONGRATULATE YOU VERY MUCH.

The glorious honour you have bestowed upon me has not only brought me joy, but it is also an incentive for me to serve Tanzanians whenever I can, without considering their religious or political affiliations, and for the benefit of our nation as a whole.

Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, as you have mentioned in the justification for my selection, and as we have heard from my biography which was read by my very dear brother Hon. Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru (MP), I have served our nation in various capacities in the government and party since the 1950s up to the time I retired in the 1990s.

Right now, I am enjoying my retirement as I involve myself in farming cash and food crops. I am actively involved in horticultural farming, especially mushroom farming, which I teach to anyone that is willing to learn, for the purpose of improving their nutrition and income. I am also engaged in beekeeping and I am ready to teach anyone modern methods of beekeeping. I also grow traditional and modern timber trees, as well as ordinary trees that serve to conserve water catchment areas. I am implementing calls made by the Father of the Nation, the late Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere and our courageous leader, Hon. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

Furthermore, I continue to offer advice to the party and government, whenever I am called upon to do so. I will continue to offer my contribution in the form of ideas to the government, party and other organizations as the Almighty God grants me favour.

My history has already been narrated. Now I would like to use this opportunity to say something about the current security, economic and political situation in our country of Tanzania.

In general, our country is peaceful and calm. There is peace in our country. People understand one another and there is strong national solidarity. The security situation is also calm. There is good economic progress, the economy is growing strong. This is a result of the solid foundation laid by the leaders of our country, like the Father of the Nation, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and others I am not going to mention - under the effective leadership of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and its government, from the time our country obtained its independence up to now.

Our Government, under the leadership of CCM, is keen to protect and defend the rights of its citizens in general. It is making efforts to defend the weak and see to it that they receive justice, and have access to health, education, clean water, good housing, electricity services, etc. Also it ensures that the infrastructure roads, railways, is in good condition and passable at all times.

Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, I also wish to say I am thankful for the good relations that exist between Tanzania and the United States of America. Let us maintain the good relationship so that it remains unshakable. The existing good relations contribute to the development of our country and its people in general.

I also thank the United States of America for the assistance it regularly gives to Tanzania. Thank you very much. I request you not to get tired, please continue assisting us, considering that our country is still young and needs your help to develop socially and economically. I also request you to consider assisting small groups whose voices have not yet been heard, so that they too may be empowered to experience economic growth, get equal opportunities in society and be able to contribute toward national development. I believe this will help to promote the speedy development of this nation.

Tanzania has achieved development in various areas since we obtained independence. The number of schools has increased; roads have been constructed and improved; our railways and ports have been expanded; airports have been constructed and upgraded, etc. Many hospitals have been built and they are offering services to people across the country. Politically, the people are now more informed than before. The aim now is to improve on all that has been achieved and build a strong economy that will help to liberate Tanzanians, enabling them to enjoy better lives.

Your Excellency, Mr. Ambassador, I would like to conclude by thanking all those that have joined me on this happy occasion, among them are retired leaders, ministers, ambassadors, religious leaders, party and government leaders, my dear wife, my dear children, relatives, acquaintances and friends. Thank you very much.

It would be ungracious of me not to thank my very dear brother Hon. Kingunge Ngombale Mwiru for the good and detailed biography. Thank you very much.

Lastly, I once again thank you personally Your Excellency Ambassador Michael L. Retzer, and all U.S. Embassy staff for the very great honour you have given me.

I am very delighted; thank you very much for listening to me.

God bless you all!!