Poem on Kambarage Nyerere by Neema Ndunguru

This post was shared to us by Adam Jackson Foya of marafikiWaVitabu.wordpress.com
Photo courtesy of BBC.co.uk

Kambarage Nyerere,
How we wish you were here.
Thank you for your patience and for making us persevere.

But dear Mwalimu, why didn’t you tell us, expose and prepare us
For the turmoil and struggles that have now engulfed us?

Why didn’t we continue to build ourselves, our capacities and our attitudes?
And recognize the potential that is within us?
Appreciate the beauty of our land?
Protect and respect the abundance of our resources?

Why weren’t we encouraged and persuaded to think beyond our limitations?
To serve our country and be duly recognized for our efforts?

We remained suffering as we looked in awe at those outside our boarders?
As though their grass was greener than those of our majestic hills.
As though their water was fresher than that of our sparkling rivers.

We invited them in.
And they saw that which we never saw in ourselves.
They’ve come to take it. And here we remain. Still…. having peace.

Kambarage Nyerere,
Thank you for the peace you promoted in this country.
A solid foundation of humanity.
We’ve loved our nation. But we’ve never embraced ourselves.

So where do we go from here? And how do we change our steps?

Dear Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere,
Things may have been a little different if you were here.
How we wish you were here.