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| From left: Former Prime Minister, Frederick Sumaye, Prominent Politician, Ngombale Mwiru, Algeria Ambassador to Tanzania, Djelloul Tabet and his colleague from Palestine, Nasir Abujaish pay attention during a commemoration service of ex-president of South Africa the late Nelson Mandela who died last week and will be buried today |
Mandela, who died last Thursday at 95, was hailed
as an icon of the freedom struggle, peace, human rights and
reconciliation. He will be buried today in his boyhood village of Qunu.
Those who spoke during the memorial service in Johannesburg on Tuesday praised the former leader and asked today’s leaders to emulate him and put the interests of the people before theirs.
US President Barack Obama chided those who embraced Mandela’s struggle against oppression yet suppressed opposition and critics in their own countries.
“There are too many of us who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality,” he said.
Amid cheers, President Obama added; “There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.”
Having liberated South Africa from the apartheid
regime, Mandela sought to ensure equality among all South Africans
regardless of race.
He was widely acknowledged as a transformer and unifier and African leaders were advised to respect his values.
Local commentators say political leaders need to know how to reach out to the people they serve, considering that they are the primary reason why they are in power in the first place.
At the University of Dar es Salaam, leaders and scholars recalled Mandela the man, his legacy and how it reflects on Tanzania’s leadership.
Veteran politician Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru said he was saddened by the selfishness of current leaders.
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