By KPC Reporter
As the curtain fell on the second edition of the Pan African Media Councils Summit last week in Arusha, something spectacular happened a few kilometres away.
It was all about friendship between Lee Njiru, a veteran journalist and long-serving aide to Kenya’s presidency and Tanzania’s retired General Mirisho Sarakikya, now in his 90s.
Also Read
Sarakikya is such a highly respected senior citizen that Njiru’s visit had to be approved through Tanzania’s Defence Headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
Happening on the slopes of the misty Nkoaranga, Ameru District, this was no ordinary courtesy call but a nod to legacy, resilience, and the disciplined resolve that forged a nation’s defense from the ashes of rebellion.
“The visit underscored the enduring reverence accorded to the man who laid the foundation for the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) in 1964,” said Njiru.
“General Sarakikya remains a towering figure in East African military history.”
Following the 1964 mutinies that rocked the armies of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika, Sarakikya, then a loyal captain stationed in Tabora, was entrusted by President Julius Nyerere to rebuild Tanzania’s military from scratch.
“His leadership birthed the TPDF, a force distinguished by its civilian oversight and commitment to national unity,” said Njiru.
Friend forever
The meeting between the two was a moment of reflection on the resilience and vision that shaped Tanzania’s defence doctrine.
The veterans’ paths met in Nairobi decades ago, laying ground for a friendship that left those who accompanied Njiru and General Sarakikya’s family amazed.
“To be granted access to General Sarakikya’s home required clearance from the highest military office,” Njiru noted, “a testament to the respect he commands to this day.”
Born in Meru District in 1934, Sarakikya rose through the ranks after training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
He led the TPDF until 1974, steering it through formative years marked by regional tensions and internal consolidation.
