TANZANIANS have been urged to honour the late Edward Sokoine by denouncing corruption.
Presiding over a Mass in memory of the late Prime Minister here midweek, Emairete Parish Priest, Fr Arnold Baijukie said the late Sokoine was a serious leader and true warrior against corruption, challenging Tanzanians to emulate him by shying away from corrupt practices.
”Corruption doesn’t entail receiving and giving bribe only, abuse of office and exploiting others also amounts to corruption,” explained Fr Baijukie in his homily, to mark 39th anniversary of Sokoine’s death at Monduli Juu.
The Parish Priest said the late Sokoine was loved and loathed in equal measure due to his hard stance on corruption.
Fr Baijukie recounted the days when economic saboteurs had to hide their wealth in fear of the late Premier’s whip.
“Some even flee the country because they knew the kind the wrath that awaited them,” he said.
Fr Baijukie personally recounted how he met the late Sokoine when his family was fleeing the Kagera war in 1978.
“I vividly recall how he assured my father that all was well and we shouldn’t leave the country.”
On his part, the area MP Freddy Lowassa said the former Prime Minister had left a lasting legacy to the country which makes Monduli residents ever proud.
“We have every reason to hold our heads high every mention of Sokoine’s name,” he said.
The late Sokoine was Tanzania’s former Prime Minister and Second Vice-President. He was considered to be the favoured heir-apparent to Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
His life was cut short in a grisly road accident that occurred at Dakawa area in Morogoro Region on April 12th 1984.
