ONE of Africa’s late statesmen and former Tanzanian president Mwalimu Julius Nyerere is likely to posthumously land his Roman Catholic Church sainthood if he passes the four key requirements, NewsDay has learnt.
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According to Katie Nguyen of Reuters, Tanzanians called for the beatification of Nyerere following his death in 1999, and after he had earned worldwide respect for his pan-Africanist vision.
“If it happened, his elevation would be a rare honour for Africa, which some say badly needs heroes to counter-balance a series of corrupt leaders and greedy despots who have tarnished the continent’s post-colonial history,” Nguyen wrote.
According to Nguyen, Nyerere ruled for 23 years before stepping down voluntarily in 1985, a rarity in African politics.
He is also said to have been a son of a tribal chief who remained true to his mission upbringing, becoming a devout Catholic who often fasted, attended Mass on an almost daily basis and translated parts of the Bible into his native Zanaki language.
“He earned respect for his integrity and his lifestyle was modest to the point of austerity — in stark contrast to the excesses of his contemporaries, including Uganda’s Idi Amin, Zaire’s Mobutu Sese Seko and Ethiopia’s Haile Mariam Mengistu,” Nguyen said.
Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe yesterday attended the beatification ceremony for Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, St Peter’s Square in Rome.
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According to the State broadcaster, ZBC, Mugabe was met at Fiumicino International Airport by Monsignor Simone from the Vatican, Constance Chemwai the Charge d’Affairs and several officials at the Zimbabwe embassy in France.
Mugabe, a Catholic, was accompanied to the church service by First Lady Grace Mugabe who recently made sensational claims that she was a devout Christian and once pronounced a curse and caused the death of a journalist who had written bad things about the First Family.
