PM Abiy Awards Former Leaders for their Contribution to Promoting Pan-Africanism

Addis Ababa November 1/2022/ENA/ Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has awarded 17 former leaders of African countries for their contribution toward promoting Pan-Africanism and African unity today.

Family members of the former leaders received the awards from the prime minister.

The African leaders awarded are: Emperor Haile Selassie, His Majesty King Hassen II, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Ahmed Sekou Toure, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Jomo Kenyatta, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah, Kenneth David Kaunda, Nelson Mandela, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Abubaker Tafewa Balewa, Modibo Keita, William V.S Tumban, Ahmed Ben Bella, Flexi Houphouet Biogny,  and Samora Machel.

The son of the late Leopold Sedar Senghor, Daile-Sedar Senghor, told ENA “I am honored to receive this award in the capital city, diplomatic city of our continent of Africa as the recognition of the permanency of your country to promote African unity.”

It is not the creation of OAU in 1963, it’s the continuation of the great diplomacy of your country starting from former leaders that is impressive, he added.

"The continuation of this (unity) is great credit of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to continue this moment and enforce the solidarity of Pan-Africanism."

Albert Mugabe, the son of the late Zimbabwe leader,  said on his part “I am overwhelmed with this joy and respect for this honor.... For us, we know Robert Mugabe’s family is everybody in Africa.”

“We are very proud and we feel truly honored by what Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed done for us in recognizing the efforts and everything that our father did not only for the people of Zimbabwe but for the people of Africa,” he added.

The daughter of the late Julius Nyerere, Mary Bumi Nyerere said “it was so emotional. It was so grateful and (we are) humbled to be given an award by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.”