Mama Maria Nyerere receives Angola medal honouring Mwalimu’s liberation legacy

By The Respondents Reporter

Mama Maria Nyerere, widow of Tanzania’s Founding Father and first President, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, has received a prestigious honorary medal from the Republic of Angola in recognition of Mwalimu Nyerere’s role in Africa’s liberation struggles and his contribution to peace in Angola.

The medal was presented in Dar es Salaam by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. 

Minister Kombo said the award was a great honour not only to Mwalimu Nyerere but also to Tanzania, whose territory was used to host, organise and train freedom fighters from several African countries during the struggle against colonial rule, including those from Angola.

He said Mwalimu Nyerere’s commitment to African liberation went beyond national boundaries, as Tanzania provided refuge, strategic support and solidarity to liberation movements at a time when such support carried heavy political and economic costs.

The Angolan Ambassador to Tanzania, Domingos de Almeida da Silva Coelho, said Angola highly values the decisive support given by Mwalimu Nyerere during its fight for independence. 

He described the medal as part of the commemoration of 50 years of Angola’s independence and a lasting symbol of true African unity and solidarity.

Receiving the honour, Mama Maria Nyerere thanked the Government and people of Angola for recognising the legacy of her late husband. 

She said Mwalimu Nyerere’s efforts to liberate Africa were driven by a belief in unity and collective responsibility, adding that his vision could not have been realised without cooperation and mutual support among African leaders.

Speaking on behalf of the Nyerere family, Rukwa Regional Commissioner Makongoro Nyerere expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying Mwalimu Nyerere firmly believed Tanzania could not enjoy genuine freedom while other African nations remained under colonial domination. 

He said this conviction guided Tanzania’s active support for liberation movements across the continent.

Mwalimu Nyerere served as Chairperson of the Organization of African Unity Liberation Committee, now the African Union, from 1964 to 1985. 

Under his leadership, Tanzania played a key role in supporting liberation efforts in several countries, including Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, leaving a legacy that continues to be honoured across Africa.