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Kawawa`s hard-won recognition great honour for TZ
2007-01-25 10:11:52
By Balal Abdul-Aziz
On Tuesday this week, the US Embassy in Tanzania organized a commemoration to confer the Martin Luther King Junior Drum Major for Justice Award on the veteran Tanzanian politician Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa.
The event was organized to celebrate the life and work of Dr King-a civil rights activist, who lived between January 15, 1921 and April 4, 1968. Staff Writer, Balal Abdul-Aziz, who was on the attendance list, highlights what transpired at the event. Read on...
``IF you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. So that, I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.``
The great quote boils flesh and blood inside me, as it reminds me of one of the wonderful visits I have ever made in my life; it reminds me of the King Centre in Atlanta Georgia, United States, which is one of those historical centres or museums counted as most attractive in the world.
A few hours I spent there in mid 2005 revisiting Dr King\'s times-his life, work and achievements, rejuvenated my civil right activism, and normally so, for most of its visitors.
The quote is from Dr King`s sermon he delivered on February 4, 1968, while serving as co-pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, which is now part of the King Centre complex.
Similar quotes and feelings of peace, justice and righteousness took hostage scores of hearts at the US Embassy compound in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, when a central corridor at the embassy was temporarily turned into a replica of Atlanta`s Martin Luther King Centre, where the ideas, life and times of the great American civil right activist are periodically revisited.
That was when veteran politician Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa, popularly known as simba wa Vita (literally translated as the war lion) was conferred in style with the award by the US Ambassador to Tanzania, Michael Retzer.
It was a brief, but colourful ceremony also attended by retired second-phase president Ali Hassan Mwinyi and previous Drum Major for Justice Laureates Judge Joseph Sinde Warioba and Dr Salim Ahmed Salim.
``Today is a historic day in my life for having been awarded the 2007 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award. I will always cherish it because it has bestowed great honour on me, my wife, my family, my country and all Tanzanians,`` said Kawawa, as he accepted the award.
He said that the honour would act both as an encouragement and a catalyst for him to continue serving Tanzanians to the best of his knowledge and capacity even in retirement and using most of his time in farming.
``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,`` said Kawawa, adding:
``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.``
Giving Kawawa`s historical background, Minister of State in the President`s office (Political Affairs and Civil Societies Relations) Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru described the laureate as a truly distinguished son of Tanzania and Africa.
``He is humble, polite and simple but a man of determination, discipline and decision - a man who always strives to get things done,`` said Ngombale-Mwiru, who once schooled with Kawawa in Dar es Salaam.
The state minister said Kawawa was awarded due to his great contribution to the struggle for independence, as he was the key person who supported the founding father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
``Another remarkable achievement was his contribution towards recognizing and supporting trade unions, people\'s small groups like women and youth associations and his support to the activities of the founding political party, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU),`` he said.
Shortly before officially bestowing to Kawawa one of the America`s top justice awards, Ambassador Retzer remarked: ``This year`s recipient of the Drum Major Award for Justice, Mzee Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa, was at the forefront of mobilising Tanzania`s independence movement.``
He said the decision to confer the former Vice president, prime minister and top leader of the ruling CCM was arrived at after considering his tireless work alongside the founding father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, to help Tanzania attain independence on December 9, 1961.
The envoy said the Award was a living tribute to Dr Martin Luther King Junior, one of the world`s great justice, peace and righteousness activists, and reflected the struggle that in turn is now benefiting the whole of America.
``Dr King is a hero and an icon to many Americans, as his life represents just how much a single individual can influence or change an entire nation.
Steadfast in his commitment, he walked tall in the face of danger, hatred, and bigotry - and demonstrated the moral superiority of tolerance and non-violence over injustice and prejudice,`` he pointed out.
Quoting prominent Islamic leader and scholar Imam Hussein, National Muslim Council (Bakwata) secretary of the Ulamaa (top clerics) council, Sheikh Hassan Chizenga noted: ``There will be no progress in the world if the good doers are not rewarded, and the wrong doers are not punished.``
He underscored the need for justice in community development and denounced violence, discrimination or segregation among the peoples of the world, be they in Africa or elsewhere.
Kawawa was a leader of the worker`s trade union (Tanganyika Federation of Labour) in the 1950s that struggled for equal pay for all workers, irrespective of colour or sex. He was also instrumental in the creation of TANU that essentially mobilized the people of Tanzania to advocate independence.
After Tanganyika became independent, Kawawa held various positions in the government and legislative assembly, as vice-president, prime minister, minister and legislator, where he worked very closely with Nyerere.
Additionally, he was a supporter to liberation movements in several African countries. He believes in the freedom of religious beliefs, the power of self reliance and the strength individuals can bring to achieve their development goals.
The event included performances of the Kijitonyama Youth Choir and a recital of speeches given by Dr. King at the acceptance of his Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, Great March on Detroit and March on Washington by Matukio Chuma, Fatima Bapumia (University of Dar es Salaam) and Yoseph Ayele (TanEdu).
The Award was born from Dr. King`s sermon at the Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama`s speech, where he said: ``If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice.
So that, I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.``Previous Drum Major for Justice Laureates include: Joseph Warioba (1999), Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (2000), Judge Francis Nyalali (2002), Prof Geoffrey Mmari (2003), Justa Mwaituka (2004), Gertrude Mongella (2005) and Dr Salim Ahmed Salim (2006). I would like to end my article with another quote from Dr King`s February 4, 1968`s sermon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta:
``And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won`t have any money to leave behind. I won`t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that`s all I want to say.``
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