I pride myself on being a well-rounded, emotionally balanced, objective individual who has long accepted fair criticism of Mwalimu Nyerere’s leadership without feeling compelled to defend him. That position shifted after I encountered a social media comment blaming Mwalimu for xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Attributing the worst forms of parochial behaviour to someone who dedicated his life to African unity is plain ignorance.
Blaming Nyerere for many of Tanzania’s contemporary challenges has quietly taken hold among a section of citizens, shaping how they interpret current realities. This view is largely inherited from a generation raised on the rhetoric of political leaders who built careers partly on advancing this claim – despite the fact that Mwalimu stepped down 41 years ago and has been gone for 25. With little sustained counterargument to test or refine this narrative, it was perhaps inevitable that its proponents would extend it, even to explain events as distant as those unfolding in South Africa.
Tanzania is witnessing the coming of age of a generation inclined to accept simple explanations and inherited beliefs without question, trading critical thought for convenient narratives over careful analysis and evidence. This helps explain the flawed logic that links xenophobic attacks in South Africa to Mwalimu Nyerere. Taken to its conclusion, such reasoning implies all South Africans support these attacks – an unlikely claim – and risks promoting isolationism while undermining the ideal of a united Africa.
It is fair to trace some of Tanzania’s economic, political, legal and constitutional challenges to Mwalimu’s policies and to make evidence-based arguments against his 23-year administration. His leadership undeniably shaped the country’s trajectory. Yet attribution alone – even when justified – does not solve today’s problems. The resolution of existing challenges demands that current generations should find workable solutions to address those challenges. It is illogical for Israeli citizens to blame Moses for having led their ancestors out of the safety of Egypt over three millennia ago into the present firing range of Iranian missiles and expect some miracle to end the retaliation.
Studies suggest that unmet basic needs, peer pressure and denialism by the South African government are key drivers of xenophobic attacks in South Africa. While South Africa searches for solutions, Tanzania faces the growing risk of raising future generations unwilling or unable to take ownership of their destiny or solve prevailing challenges, instead choosing to blame their forefathers.
A syllabus that prioritises Africa’s struggle against colonialism and white minority rule may not eliminate xenophobic attacks but it can deepen appreciation of the sacrifices behind a democratic South Africa – and foster greater tolerance toward fellow Africans.
We must replace blame with thought and inherited narratives with deliberate action.
