By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Sports Club (DGC) have agreed to introduce the Kaunda-Nyerere golf tournament to honour the friendship of the former Presidents of Zambia and Tanzania, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and the late Kenneth David Kaunda.
TAZARA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bruno Ching’andu, confirmed the development in a statement issued by the firm’s Head of Public Relations Conrad Simuchile.
Ching’andu said that Tazara was delighted to be part of the partnership meant to honour the two great sons of Africa who did not only share a closely knit friendship, but also agreed on many political and ideological thoughts, including pan-Africanism and the desire to liberate many African countries from colonial oppression and unite the entire continent of Africa.
“We are extremely delighted to form this partnership with the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Sports Club in hosting this golf tournament, whose overriding objective is to keep alive the memory of the two founders of TAZARA.
“Dr. Kaunda and Mwalimu Nyerere forged a friendship that was exemplary and will live on forever. Through this golf tournament, we would like to remember the two statesmen,” Ching’andu said.
Meanwhile, DGC Chairman, Alfred Kinswaga, noted that TAZARA and DGC were eager to introduce the memorial golf tournament
Kinswaga said Kaunda honoured his country by playing golf at DGC in 1987 to mark Tanzania’s independence that year.
“For the club, as well as for the country, to have such a respected African leader play on our course was a true symbol of friendship and respect between the two countries and it is in that spirit that we wish to celebrate the occasion going forward,” Kinswaga said.
The debut Kaunda-Nyerere Friendship Golf Tournament will be held at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Sports Club in Dar es Salaam on December 9, 2021, which is the Independence Day of Tanzania and the date on which Kaunda travelled all the way from Zambia to celebrate Tanzania’s independence anniversary with a game of golf in 1987.
