Recalling AICC’s Candle Foundation Stone

By lute wa lutengano

I remember when I was a young reporter ­ fondly known then as ‘Cub Reporters’ ­I used to enjoy among other assignments covering parliamentary or court sessions. I believe it was because I was not a good investigative reporter. That was in the late 70s.

In a court or parliamentary session, a good reporter would come up with three or four news stories every day without trying very hard. All the news was there for a sharp reporter to pick.

It is not possible for me to recall here all the interesting episodes from those days. Actually if I were to do so I would come up with as big a book as the Bible. But then from time to time certain current events jolt one’s mind to remember certain events of yesteryears.

That happened to me the other day. Two diverse events happened simultaneously which made me recall one episode in the 1970s. The first event was the 25th Anniversary of the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), and the second was an article in one of the local papers about the life and times of Alnoor Kassum, one of the few Tanzanians of Asian origin who supported the country’s struggle for independence. Kassum went on to serve the then independent Tanganyika and later Tanzania for more than 30 years in various capacities including cabinet minister, ambassador etc.

He was a close of friend of the late Mwalimu Nyerere who fondly called him Nick ­ short form for his name Noordin Kassum. But one thing I remember most, as a ‘cub reporter’ was that he was the only cabinet minister who presented his budget in parliament in English language in the then very nationalist and Swahili-fond parliament. His Swahili was poor. But I believe it was because of his family’s role in the struggle for independence they allowed him to go scot-free. The MPs simply loved him for what he was.

Being a journalist I knew that Kassum being a senior cabinet minister had played a major role in the construction of the structure which is now known as the AICC. What I did not know, however, was that perhaps without him, there could never have been an AICC for that matter. It was only after reading the article in the local newspaper that I came to appreciate his role.

"Among the major achievements I feel proud to-date is the way I made it possible for the East African Community (EAC) headquarters - which is now the AICC building - to be built," says Mr. Kassum in the article. He goes on to recall that in 1973 when he was Minister of Finance he traveled to Italy to look for funds to built the EAC headquarters and 400 residential houses. There he held talks with a financial institution called ‘Societ’e Condotte d’Acqua’ in which the Vatican (Catholic Church) had 50 per cent shares.

After the talks the Italian institution agreed to finance the project on condition that it was guaranteed by the three East African countries ­ Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. "That was a problem. Our three Presidents were not holding their regular summits because Nyerere never recognized Idi Amin, the Ugandan President," says Mr. Kassum.

On the part of Tanzania, the then Minister of Finance Mr. Cleopa Msuya ­ Kassum was then Minister in the EAC - signed the guarantee. In Kenya, he says Mr. Mwai Kibaki, the current president, who was then Minister of Finance told him he would present the issue in parliament first, and if after ten days there was no objection, he would sign the guarantee. Mr. Kassum took lodge at Hotel 680 and after the ten days, Kenya signed the guarantee.

The problem was now with Uganda. "I do not remember the name of the Ugandan finance minister then. But when I initially briefed him about the project he refused. I then showed him the Heads of States’ agreement to build the EAC headquarters, which however on the part of Uganda was signed by the previous head of state Milton Obote who had then been deposed.

"After lengthy discussions I advised him that if he felt it was a problem to sign the guarantee, then he should simply endorse the document with a government seal without any signature. This he did and I immediately flew out of the country. If you come across that agreement you will note that it is only Uganda which stamped it without signing."

For that matter, he adds, there was no foundation stone laid for the AICC building. The only thing he did instead was for him and his wife to light a candle and bury it at the site. "One night I requested my wife to accompany me to the construction site. On arrival I dug a hole and in it I placed a candle and lit it. I and my wife prayed for a few minute as the candle was burning. I ended the prayer and buried the candle and said ‘Bisimilah!’ That I believe was the foundation stone of that structure whose construction was completed in 1977," he narrates.

Soon after the EAC collapsed the rest is history.

lutengano@hotmail.com

Last modified: November 06, 2003.
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