President Kikwete formally receives Africa's Most Impactful Leader of
the Year 2013 Award from Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
minister Bernard Membe at State House in Dsm.
President
Jakaya Kikwete yesterday received Africa’s Most Impactful Leader of The
Year Award 2013, saying it was an honour for all Tanzanians who
participated in bringing development.“This award is the world’s honor to all Tanzanians who participated in bringing development,” he said on receiving the award from Bernard Membe, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The latter had received the award on behalf of the President on April 9 this year in Washington DC in the US. The award was offered to the President by the African Leadership Magazine of America.
“This award belongs to Tanzanians…I am receiving it because I am the President, but the truth is that the development and achievements were achieved by Tanzanian citizens,” he said.
The President said Tanzanians have proved to the world that they can do great things. He said the world sees, recognises and values the great work done by Tanzanians in efforts to bring about development.
Kikwete said he was informed about the award last year, but he didn’t pay much attention to it because he knew it was wananchi and their leaders who had contributed to his success.
Handing over the award, Membe said President Kikwete won it after being voted for by 400,000 readers of the magazine.
He said President Kikwete becomes the third leader in Africa to have won the award after being honoured for improving the life of his citizens. Other African leaders who have won the award are the Presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Membe said, according to the magazine, President Kikwete has made great improvements to the national economy which on average has grown by seven percent during his leadership.
Other improvements highlighted by the magazine are health, infrastructure and education.
“The award is a great honor to the President and the nation at large,” added Membe.
The ceremony in Washington DC was attended by prominent leaders, including the Governor of the State of Georgia, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, leaders of the Diaspora and Members of Parliament.
In his statement, the Georgia Governor said President Kikwete has been recognised for his efforts not only as the President but also in serving in various government positions.
He added that the State of Georgia recognised the efforts that president Kikwete deployed in keeping peace in the world.
The award is given every year to African leaders who have contributed much to the economic growth of their citizens.
In Washington DC, the award was handed over by the Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Prof Ade Adefuye, on behalf of Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan who was earlier supposed to present it to President Kikwete.
Meanwhile, a State House statement said President Kikwete has expressed dismay at the way some of the members of the Constituent Assembly referred to the country’s two founding fathers, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Sheikh Abeid Amaan Karume.
Nyerere was the first President of Tanganyika and the first President of the United Republic of Tanzania, while Karume was founding father of Zanzibar.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
Awesome
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