Nyerere Day is celebrated every year in honor of the Founder President of Tanzania. Some of those who worked closely with President Nyerere are usually asked to give testimony about the life and work of the late President at the climax of the celebrations. This year the national celebration was held in Dodoma. Bishop Chiwanga, who served as Minister for Education under his Presidency, was invited.

He began his brief testimony by leading the masses present with a very popular hit song, which praises the beauty of the country, its mountains, valleys and rivers.  Everyone rose to their feet singing and dancing. Bishop Chiwanga picked two aspects which deeply touched the audience. First, about Mwalimu Nyerere’s exemplary integrity and resolve. In a private conversation, President Nyerere once disclosed to Bishop Chiwanga how he resolved within a day to quit a twenty year addiction of a chain-smoker to non-smoking, in deep appreciation of Tanzanians’ confidence in him after a landslide victory at the General Elections of 1965.

Then Bishop Chiwanga turned to the hit song, with a question as to whether, today,  Tanzanians, particularly those of Central Tanzania and other dry land regions, can sing with a clean conscience about the beauty of the mountains, valleys and rivers? The audience was quick to respond with a resounding ‘No!’ The audience was then reminded of President Nyerere’s passionate commitment to environmental conservation, and that the best way to honour him was to be equally passionately committed to restoring the worst degraded environments, using the best method possible. Holding high a carefully dug out tree stump Bishop Chiwanga said, “The good news is, ‘Kisiki Hai’ (for FMNR) offers the best way of restoring the worst degraded environments.” After a short description of FMNR method, the testimony was concluded with another popular slogan, “It can be done, play your part!” (President Nyerere).

The attention of the audience was awesome. The Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Dr. Rehema Nchimbi, quickly moved to the Podium and asked Bishop Chiwanga to hand over to her, publicly, the tree stump to signify her commitment to promoting FMNR in her Region.