President Museveni appreciates Tanzania’s former First Lady Maria Nyerere for attending Nyerere Beatification Prayer Day in Uganda
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, met with Mama Maria Nyerere, the former First Lady of Tanzania on 5th June 2023, to discuss shared interests. The President expressed his gratitude to Mama Maria for attending the Nyerere Beatification Prayer Day, an annual event held at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine. Mama Maria Nyerere is the leader of the beatification movement for Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the former President of Tanzania, who passed away in 1999.
At State Lodge-Nakasero on Monday 5th June 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met with Mama Maria Nyerere, the former First Lady of Tanzania, and had a conversation with her. The President thanked Mama Maria for attending the Nyerere Beatification Prayer Day at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine, which is held on June 1 every year.
Mama Maria Nyerere, the leader of the beatification movement, makes a point of visiting Namugongo each year to ask the Ugandan Martyrs, who were declared saints by the Catholic Church in 1964, for their intercession.
The former First Lady and her delegation attended the meeting, a number of topics involving shared interests were discussed.
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, a former president of Tanzania who passed away on October 14, 1999, at the age of 77, took the first step towards sainthood in 2006 when he was recognised as a servant of God.
Since 2009, worshippers have celebrated Mass in Namugongo a day before Martyrs Day celebrations, during which they have prayed for Nyerere’s cause for beatification. Tanzanian pilgrims make the journey to observe this day. In these prayers, Mama Maria Nyerere is always regarded as speaking for Nyerere’s family.
