By Faruk Kirunda
President Yoweri Museveni this week returned from a successful state visit to the Republic of Tanzania on the invitation of President Samia Hassan Suluhu. While there, the two leaders concluded a wide range of bilateral matters. Among them were discussions on Oil and Gas-the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). EACOP is a flagship project that will transport oil and gas from the libertine region to the port of Tanga from where it will be exported to the world. No need to report that successful implementation of the project brings innumerable opportunities for East Africans, directly and indirectly.
The project is now at takeoff as declared by the president at a press conference in Dar-es-salaam where an Oil and Gas symposium was held. While there, President Museveni used the opportunity to remind Tanzanians of the need to integrate as East Africans, carrying along a copy of an old newspaper from the 1960s covering the subject of Federation which leaders of the time were promoting-before the vision was lost needlessly. Museveni handed the copy to President Suluhu, symbolically to remind us all that we had overdue work to do to see the Federation come to reality.
At the last leg of his visit, Museveni headed to Nyabirezi Village, Chato district in Geita region (in the Northwest) where he commissioned the multibillion Museveni Pre and Primary School. During the inauguration ceremony of the school, Museveni explained very clearly that he was neither requested nor commanded to build a school in Tanzania but that it was a suggestion that was brought forward by two fallen heads of state-John Pombe Magufuli and Benjamin Mkapa. The two leaders must have been inspired to think alike both for obvious and not so obvious reasons.
Museveni revealed that he was at first invited by Mkapa to build a school in remembrance of the war against Amin war which was, eventually, constructed at Ndutwe (Primary School). Another school built around Kagera River named Nyamiyaga Primary School.
He noted that building the schools was not because Tanzania never had money, but it was due to brotherhood and remembrance. Neither does Uganda have too much money, but considering the service rendered by Tanzania to Uganda’s liberation and the value of the cordial relations that exist between the two coutries, a few billion shillings is peanuts. Not only the school at Nyabirezi, but the value of all the three “monumental” schools is worth more than money can buy.
Had Amin not been forced out of power, Uganda would be a heap of ruins. Remember that in just eight years of his rule, everything Uganda collapsed. Had he stayed on, the great achievements across sectors would never have been realised, more so education. Uganda has sufficient educational infrastructure to give any child adequate instruction right from pre-primary all the way to post-graduate level. To say that because a school has been built in Chato translates to neglecting Ugandan schools is inconceivable. Moreover, as noted earlier, the idea to construct the school (s) and execution of works was before the advent of Covid-19. There is, entirely, no correlation between the closure of schools in Uganda due to the pandemic and the opening of school in Chato. It was coincidental for the school being opened at this time. The president used his state visit to kill many birds with one stone-he also paid his last respects to H.E Magufuli at his gravesite within Chato.
The words of President Suluhu to Museveni while receiving the school are indicative of the significance of the offer and gratitude of Tanzanians.
“You have invested over US$1.6 million, Chato loves you so much. What you have done for the people of Chato can only be related to a saying which goes that: ‘Give a fish to someone and they will be healed of hunger for the night but teach them how to fish and they will forever be healed for their lives,’” Suluhu said.
The school at Chato represents the “what next?” for East Africans-a lasting bond, looking past the colonial borders that separate us. Ugandans and Tanzanians are richer as siblings by such gestures. A Tanzanian is most welcome to study, work and live in Uganda and vice versa. Ugandans can study at the school in Chato like we have many Tanzanians taking education in Uganda-and even other services.
The late president Mkapa had his university education here at Makerere University while Museveni did his university education at Dar-es-salaam University. For both of these great alumni who went on to lead their respective countries, it was an act of the “gods” that led them to seek tertiary education in a sister country, so as to heighten their understanding of the commonality of East Africans and infuse them with passion to bring these peoples closer together in a form that works to correct the balkanisation of our lands by colonisers.
For those opposed to the building of the Chato school, even though that changes nothing, did they prefer that such a project is undertaken by “donors” from outside Africa? Africans should not always expect donations from the outside world but should instead organise among themselves to establish mutually beneficial projects.
Tanzania is lucky because it has never suffered from internal problems like the ones Uganda experienced. Her leaders never had to camp in Uganda either as refugees or ambitious liberators but they have all had cordial relations with Uganda. Tanzania has always afforded to ignore us, since she has a coastline and has a landmass nearly six times ours, but they have always chosen “brotherhood” with us. We could also choose to pretend about our past and the demands of the future, but to what end?
Now, therefore, the task before us is to use any opportunity available to advance the shared interests of the people. Resources permitting, more schools and pipelines, hospitals, roads and other such initiatives of benefit should be undertaken in both countries.
Uganda and Tanzania have historically enjoyed warm relations except during Amin’s time. With that history of good neighbourliness, why should we separate now and in whose interest? Who is hurt when a school is constructed in any part of East Africa by East Africans? These are enemies of Africa ever looking for ways to sow bad blood but they will go down alone.
The spirit of East Africa lives on!
The author is the Deputy Press Secretary for President Yoweri Museveni