Tanzania Celebrates 50 Years of Independence

Tanzanians are proudly celebrating 50 years of independence today.

After several decades, Tanganyika gained its independence from Britain to become The United Republic of Tanzania. Julius Nyerere, known as Baba wa Taifa (Father of the Nation), was influential in uniting much of the country by advocating for peaceful change, social equality and racial harmony. With the help of his efforts, Tanganyika became a republic on December 9, 1961. In 1964, Zanzibar followed and the two nations unified to form the United Republic of Tanzania with Nyerere as its first president.

A host of independence day celebrations are planned throughout the country including a weekend-long festival and a grand celebration at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Another celebration, The Kilimanjaro Uhuru Climb, kicked off several days ago when 200 climbers, dispersed across four different routes on Kilimanjaro, began their ascent carrying the Uhuru Torch. The climbers converge at the summit today where they will reenact a symbolic torch lighting from 50 years ago.

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Thomson Safaris December 11, 2012 at 11:26 am

Man Who Took Uhuru Torch to Kilimanjaro Peak, By Paschal Shelutete, 10 December 2012

RETIRED Tanzania People’s Defence Forces army officer, the late Alexander Nyirenda, erected both the Uhuru Torch and the Tanganyika flag on top of Mount Kilimanjaro on the eve of the country’s Independence 51 years ago.

But the man who actually carried ‘Mwenge’ all the way to the top of Africa’s highest peak happens to be another unsung hero, Mr Emmanuel-Petro Minja.

Born on the 28th July 1930, Minja only managed to school up to class six; “In those days children from poor families never made it to secondary level and in fact among the fruits of independence is that nowadays education can be attained by everybody whether rich or poor,’ he said. Dropping out of school, Minja had to find a job and after months of loitering his uncle came to the rescue; “Mr John Lauwo, my mother’s brother was an expert mountain guide.

Coincidentally, John (Yohani) Lauwo was also a legendary name in Mount Kilimanjaro’s history. He made history when at the age of 16 guided Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller to the highest point of Africa on October, 1889. The two Germans were the first Europeans to climb Africa’s highest peak.

“I was chosen to carry the torch onto the Mountain Summit with clear instructions from Nyerere himself,” said Minja.

And in the night of Saturday, December 9, 1961 the torch arrived safely on top of Kilimanjaro. “We had a walkie-talkie which started to count down minutes to midnight and a voice from the machine told us; “Celebrate now it is midnight and the country is free!” Cheers followed as Lieutenant Nyirenda hoisted both the torch and national flag on the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro signaling a new dawn in a new country.

Read the full story here:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201212100036.html?viewall=1