It was a carnival scene at the Jamhuri Stadium on May 28th 1991 when celebrations began officially to say farewell from active politics to Father of the Nation Julius Kambarage Nyerere. About 100,000 people crammed the stadium terraces throughout the four-and-a-half hours of activities including parades by the Young Pioneers, ngoma dances and the release of pigeons. In his speech Mwalimu said that the major challenge facing the current generation of African leaders was to forge continental unity. “We must stop talking about tribes” he said “because nobody will want to hear that in the 21st century.”

The following day President Mwinyi conferred on Mwalimu the Order of Mt Kilimanjaro First Class, the first Tanzanian to be so decorated. Further ceremonies took place on the third day at an emotional airport send-off when Mwalirnu left for his Butiama home village – Daily News.