A statue of the late founding father of the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Julius Nyerere has been unveiled at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in honour of the Pan-Africanist’s contribution to the liberation of the continent.

The Organisation of African Unity, now African Union, was founded in 1963.

The statue unveiling ceremony, which is in honour of Nyerere’s legacy of peace, security, and unity, was attended by several African leaders including President Emmerson Mnangagwa this Sunday morning.

AU Commission chairperson, H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat said the honour bestowed on Nyerere is befitting of such an African giant.

“Mwalimu played a key pioneering role in the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, a milestone event in our pursuit of African unity.

The journey continues. His commitment to African unity went beyond national boundaries and national interest,” he said.

Nyerere, remembered for his pivotal role in the liberation of Southern African countries and his steadfast pursuit of peace and security across Africa, now joins the ranks of other African luminaries like Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile Selassie, whose statues have also been erected at the African Union’s grounds in Ethiopia.

The idea to honour Nyerere was recommended by Zimbabwe’s late former President Robert Mugabe during the 35th SADC Summit in 2015.

ZBC News