By Temiteo Okwakol
President Museveni recently welcomed Mama Maria Nyerere, expressing gratitude for her initiative to pray for the canonization of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s former President.
In their meeting, President Museveni commended Mama Maria for her dedication to the cause, recognizing the significance of praying through the Uganda Martyrs for Mwalimu Nyerere’s canonization. He emphasized the unity and African integration fostered by such endeavors, echoing his long-standing vision.
Expressing his appreciation for Mama Maria’s continued efforts, President Museveni highlighted the importance of her presence at the annual Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations, where people from across Africa gather to commemorate the event.
“Each year when you come, you see how many people who turn up from all parts of Africa and that was my vision. So, we who are still alive led by you, we are still pushing the vision in different ways. This is another way of looking at African integration,” President Museveni said.
Sr. Elidina Michael Ntandu conveyed Mama Maria’s gratitude to President Museveni, acknowledging his warm reception of Tanzanians in Uganda and his support for Mwalimu Nyerere’s beatification. She extended prayers for President Museveni’s well-being and success, thanking him for his ongoing assistance.
“On behalf of the people of Tanzania, we thank God for giving us an opportunity to be here with our beloved father Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” Sr. Elidina said. “We thank you for always supporting Mama Nyerere in the cause of the beatification of Mwalimu Nyerere. We thank you for all that you have done for us. We pray that God gives you all that you pray for.”
Mama Maria’s presence at the Nyerere Beatification Prayer Day, held annually at Namugongo Catholic Shrine on June 1st, signifies her commitment to the cause initiated after Pope Benedict XVI declared Mwalimu Nyerere a servant of God in 2005, marking the first step towards beatification and canonization.
The legacy of Mwalimu Nyerere, who passed away in 1999, lives on through the prayers and efforts of Mama Maria and the faithful. Since 2009, prayers for his beatification have been an integral part of the Martyrs Day celebrations, ensuring that his memory endures and inspires generations to come.