DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 6 -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday inaugurated the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation (MNF) Building built by China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG).
Both presidents commended CRCEG for its "excellent job for putting up such a magnificent structure." The 30-story building is a cooperative project of CRCEG, MNF and International Finance Corporation with a total investment of 150 million U.S. dollars.
Magufuli said the inauguration of the building coincided with the 20th anniversary of the passing of Tanzania's founding leader, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
Speaking at the inauguration broadcast live by state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, Magufuli said the major challenge facing Tanzanians was to honor what Nyerere had stood for.
He said Tanzanians could learn Nyerere's legacy by revisiting the state-of-the-art archive located in the MNF Building that stocked his books, speeches and other literature.
President Museveni said Nyerere will ever be remembered for his anti-colonial struggle in southern Africa, adding that Nyerere also cherished pro-people and pro-unity policies that made Tanzania peaceful all these years.
"He took a lot of courage and foresight in his support for the armed struggle in southern Africa," Museveni told his audience that attracted former Tanzanian Presidents Benjamin Mkapa, Jakaya Kikwete and other heavyweight politicians.
Wang Ke, the Chinese ambassador to Tanzania, said the inauguration of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation Building was a good commemoration to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, and it also added to the legacy of the long-standing and unbreakable solidarity and friendship between China and Tanzania.
Wang said the Tanzanian government has been committed to promoting the China-Tanzania relations by implementing the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit and participating actively in the Belt and Road Initiative.
She commended President Magufuli and the fifth phase government, saying Tanzania has achieved great success in state governance and economic development, especially in combating corruption, improving infrastructure and social delivery.
"China and Tanzania are good friends, partners and brothers in all-weather. Let us continue to make joint efforts in our collaboration so that we can do more and do better," said the Chinese envoy.
The project has a total construction area of 63,000 square meters and is home to a five-star hotel with 256 bedrooms and suites, 7,000 square meters of offices, 2,000 square meters of commercial retail areas and supporting facilities such as conference centers and parking lots.