Portrait of Julius Nyerere

Julius Nyerere

Father of Tanzania

Modern influential 131 sayings

Sayings by Julius Nyerere

Decisions made in Washington are more important to us than those made here in Dar es-Salaam. So, maybe my people should be allowed to vote in American presidential elections.

Unknown — On international influence and sovereignty
Political Unverifiable

Decisions made in Washington are more important to us than those made here in Dar es-Salaam. So, maybe my people should be allowed to vote in American presidential elections.

Unknown — On international influence and sovereignty
Political Disputed

A house should not be built so close to another that a chicken from one can lay an egg in the neighbor's yard, nor so far away that a child cannot shout to the yard of his neighbor.

Unknown — On community and good neighborliness
Wisdom Unverifiable

A house should not be built so close to another that a chicken from one can lay an egg in the neighbor's yard, nor so far away that a child cannot shout to the yard of his neighbor.

Unknown — On community and good neighborliness
Wisdom Confirmed

The United States is also a one-party state but, with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.

Unknown — On American political system
Wisdom Unverifiable

The United States is also a one-party state but, with typical American extravagance, they have two of them.

Unknown — On American political system
Wisdom Confirmed

Small nations are like indecently dressed women. They tempt the evil-minded.

Unknown — On the vulnerability of small nations
Life & Death Unverifiable

Small nations are like indecently dressed women. They tempt the evil-minded.

Unknown — On the vulnerability of small nations
Life & Death Disputed

Should we really let our people starve so we can pay our debts.

Unknown — On debt and national priorities
Wisdom Unverifiable

Should we really let our people starve so we can pay our debts.

Unknown — On debt and national priorities
Wisdom Confirmed

A nation which refuses to learn from foreign culture is nothing but a nation of idiots and lunatics... But to learn from other cultures does not mean we should abandon our own.

Unknown — On cultural exchange
Educational Unverifiable

A nation which refuses to learn from foreign culture is nothing but a nation of idiots and lunatics... But to learn from other cultures does not mean we should abandon our own.

Unknown — On cultural exchange
Educational Confirmed

Democracy is not a bottle of Coca-Cola which you can import. Democracy should develop according to that particular country.

1991 — Speech in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Political Unverifiable

Democracy is not a bottle of Coca-Cola which you can import. Democracy should develop according to that particular country.

1991 — Speech in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Political Confirmed

We must run while others walk.

Undated, likely 1960s-1970s — Speech, often used to emphasize the urgency of development.
Wisdom Confirmed

Education is not a way of escaping poverty, it is a way of fighting it.

1967 — Speech on Education for Self-Reliance
Educational Confirmed

I am not a socialist because I am poor, but because I am a human being.

Undated, likely 1960s — Speech, often quoted to explain his ideology.
Political Unverifiable

It is not the business of the government to make people rich. It is the business of the government to help people make themselves rich.

Undated, likely 1960s-1970s — Speech, general theme of Ujamaa.
Political Unverifiable

We, the people of Tanzania, will not allow our country to be used as a base for subversion against any other African state.

1970s — Speech on foreign policy
Wisdom Unverifiable

A man is not poor because he has no money, but because he has no dignity.

Undated — Speech, general theme of his philosophy.
Money & Business Unverifiable
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