What it means to be Tanzanian today

BY MOHAMED MATOPE

                                                           July 3, 2013

                      

Tanzanian government has just pulled off the historical achievement of hosting President Obama and predecessor George W Bush in unprecedented rare collision of two US presidents outside US. Mr Obama’s visit to Tanzania was not only historical but also marked the second official visit of US president to Tanzania in more than100 years.

Mr Bush, former US president as much unpopular he is inside USA, he a hero to many   Afrikans, partly because of    his aggressive humanitarian efforts on the continent. Firstly by   launching a massive program to combat HIV/AIDS when in  the office that  funded the life-saving drugs for two million desperate HIV-positive Afrikans and  preventing  them from the  onset of full-blown Aids , as a result the lives of more than one million peoples living with HIV or Aids was saved , coinciding  with his personal commitment to the continent after he left the office, arrived in Dar-es-salaam, last Thursday for 8 day tour, alongside with  his wife Laura Bush and the delegation of 2000 peoples  to attend  Africa first ladies conference aimed to  empower African women organized by the  institute he founded after leaving office. 

Mr. Obama arrived in Dar-es –salaam on Monday July 1 in conclusion of his 8 days , three nations tour  followed his  visits to Senegal and South Africa,  with the  delegation of 800 dignitaries including his wife and US first lady Michelle Obama and his two daughters Sasha and Maria.

In another rare occasion, George W. Bush and President Obama made joint appearance on Tuesday morning to observe U.S. marine placed a wreath at a memorial honoring those killed by a terrorist bomb in 1998 at the American embassy in Dar es Salaam. 

Meanwhile first lady Michelle Obama appeared together with her predecessor Laura Bush in the opening of the two-day African First Ladies Summit hosted by the George W. Bush Institute. The summit was also attended by a number of African First Ladies including Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza (Mozambique), Sia Nyama Koroma (Sierra Leone), Nompumelelo Zuma (South Africa), Janet Museveni (Uganda) and Roman Tesfaye (Ethiopia).

Although our Government has spent millions of dollars to host the two presidents at the same time along with other dignitaries, it is perfectly legitimate to say the money spent worth every penny. Without a doubt this occasion will put Tanzania back on the map as one of the respected countries in the world; furthermore this event will help to boost up our economy, think about how many Hotels ware rented, restaurants were utilized, art crafts and traditional cloths were purchased, tourist industries were exposed, not to talk about the massive energy initiative that USA intends to invest in our country.

The fact that Tanzania is among 3 Afrikan countries visited by MR Obama, probably on his last trip to Afrika as a sitting President, and the fact that Tanzania was chosen over Kenya,” Obama’s land” his visit to Tanzania is beyond respect ,it is investment on its own and will have profound effect on our country’s future.

Sometime the country can be unified by the aftermath of great tragedy, such as America and September 11, sometime the country can be unified by the great moment of pride such as Poland in 1975 with the election of John Paul II as the first non Italian Pope, this is our moment, the moment of our government achievement, lets put aside our differences once and for all and stand together, be proud of country MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA