AZIMIO LA ARUSHA ya FEBRUARI 1967

The Arusha Declaration was a unique and practical way of implementing the equality of all human beings and liberating the African person. In the region and possibly in Africa, Mwalimu Nyerere’s thoughts on self-reliance, and his emphasis on the importance of self-reliance, are clarion calls which point to the way forward.

The leading creed of the nationalist movement – Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) – which fought for independence and liberated the country from colonialism was: All human beings are equal and Africa is one. It was the motto of the first Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival Week which was held in Dar es Salaam from 13 to 17 April, 2009.

The famous paragraph of the Arusha Declaration which profoundly summarises the philosophy and the ideological outlook which guided the Party [TANU] under the leadership of Mwalimu was:

We have been oppressed a great deal, we have been exploited a great deal and we have been disregarded a great deal. It is our weakness that has led to our being oppressed, exploited and disregarded. Now we want a revolution – a revolution which brings to an end our weakness, so that we are never again exploited, oppressed, or humiliated.

Mwalimu Nyerere was unequivocal that:

If African countries want to develop in freedom, they must put their own people, their own money and their own resources to maximum use.

. . . What we are saying, however, is that from now on we shall know what is the foundation and what is the fruit of development. Between MONEY and PEOPLE it is obvious that the people and their HARD WORK are the foundation of development, and money is one of the fruits of that hard work.
From now on we shall stand upright and walk forward on our feet rather than look at this problem upside down. Industries will come and money will come but their foundation is THE PEOPLE and their HARD WORK, especially in AGRICULTURE. This is the meaning of self-reliance.

. . . In order to maintain our independence and our people’s freedom we ought to be self-reliant in every possible way and avoid depending upon other countries for assistance.