The news arrived, both sharp and low,
A whisper first, then heavy blow.
A great pillar has fallen, now laid to rest,
His journey complete, in peaceful quest.
Cleopa David Msuya, a name that rings so clear,
Through the mountains, his vision drew near,
In Tanzania’s land, his legacy stayed,
A servant’s soul, with no debt unpaid.
A scholar first, with books in hand,
From Makerere to his native land,
He brought the wisdom of those halls,
To lift up farmers, towns and all.
From the halls of Parliament he came,
In the fierce blaze, a leader’s flame,
With hands that built, and words that healed,
A Prime Minister’s strength, never concealed.
He stood with Nyerere in testing days,
Through shifting tides and heavy haze.
Together they dreamed, together they tried,
For a land that no one could divide.
In Sokoine’s shadow, brief he stood,
Then stepped aside as one who could,
No bitterness, no vain regret,
Just service given with no debt.
In Mwanga’s fields, his work remains,
Tarmac roads and schools in the plains,
His efforts etched in every stone,
A legacy of seeds he had sown.
When Mwanga’s hills cried out for light,
He brought them power through the night,
Not for fame or fleeting praise,
But for the children’s future days.
A father, a leader, ever so kind,
Our prayers for him, like morning wind.
In every corner, his memory stays,
In every soul, his spirit sways.
At ninety years, he paused to smile,
At roads he’d built mile after mile,
“Not mine,” he said, “but all our deed,”
Such humble words from one so great indeed.
Now rest you well, you faithful son,
Your mighty race at last is run,
But in each school, each lamp, each road,
Your love for Tanzania still abode.
And so, dear Msuya, journey on,
Though gone from sight, you are not gone.
The sun you lit in quiet grace
Still warms the soul of every place.
Thank you.
Written by Christopher Makwaia
Tel: +255 789 242 396
— The writer, is a University of West London graduate (formerly Thames Valley University) and an expert in Management, Leadership, International Business, Foreign Affairs, Global Marketing, Diplomacy, International Relations, Conflict Resolution, Negotiations, Security, Arms Control, Political Scientist, and a self-taught Computer Programmer and Web Developer.
