Letters from Africa

October, 2009

October 13 and 14, 2009 were special days in the life of Chief Wanzagi Secondary School. On October 13, the Freedom Torch (Mwenge wa Uhuru) came to our school for the first time. The ceremony of welcoming the Freedom Torch was combined with the official opening of the new dormitory for students. To share some background on this Freedom Torch:

The Mwenge wa Uhuru (Freedom Torch) was first lit at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1961 to celebrate Tanzania gaining its independence. It represents the hope of Tanzania’s first President, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere that Tanzania would be a country of unity, prosperity, security and hope. Nyerere said that it was first lit at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa, to symbolically shine throughout the country and across its borders to bring hope where there is despair, love where there is enmity and respect where there is hatred.

The tradition of having the Freedom Torch pass through different parts of the country each year is one that has passed down from Tanzania’s first President. Each year, it sets off on December 9, which is Tanzania’s Independence Day. Its journey ends with a grand finishing ceremony on October 14, the anniversary of the death of President Nyerere.

The torch stands 2 ½ feet high and is placed on a special stand. The army accompanies the torch on its journey. Once it is placed on its special stand and is in place, the soldiers salute it and then a group of selected torch watchers make a circle around it during any speeches or ceremonies. It is always heavily guarded by the army.

It was a very happy day for our students as they sang and danced forming an honor guard for the Freedom Torch and its bearers from the school building to the dormitory building. Many dignitaries from the government, the village and other secondary schools were present. The ribbon to the entrance of the dormitory was cut by Fr. Godfried Maruru, representing the bishop, the Honorable Nimrod Mkono, the Member of Parliament, mainly responsible for the building of the dormitory and Dr. Lori, from the Tanzania Japan Food Aid Counterpart Fund, who made a very significant donation for the building of the dormitory. On behalf of the Sisters of the Resurrection, Sister Stephanie thanked all those responsible for making the dream of a dormitory a reality. The soldiers formed a circular honor guard around the Freedom Torch during all the speeches and then took the Freedom Torch inside to pass through the corridors of the dormitory.

October 14, is a National holiday as the country commemorates the death of its first President. This October 14, 2009 was special as it marked the 10th anniversary of the death of President Nyerere. The students needed to leave the school at 6:30 a.m. to walk to the Butiama Catholic Church where the day’s festivities started with a Mass concelebrated by two Bishops and many priests. The former First Lady, Mama Maria Nyerere, and many of her family members were in attendance, as well as government dignitaries, villagers and parishioners. The church was packed and most of our students could not fit in the church and so participated in the Mass from the outdoors. Prayers were offered for the Beatification of the Servant of God, Julius Kambarage Nyerere. After the Mass, all the people went in procession across the road to the Nyerere Family Compound to gather at the tomb of President Nyerere. The current President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, attended this ceremony as well. Then our students and many of the people proceeded to the Village of Butiama Social Center for a day of speeches, songs and dancing.

These events are significant in the life of our school because it was President Nyerere who actually started building the school with his own hands and the cooperation of the villagers. At the request of President Nyerere, the school is named after his brother, Chief Edward Wanzagi.

Sister Stephanie CR