Asalaam Aleykhum, Bwana Asifiwe, Tumsifu Yesu Kristu.

When the President visited me on Thursday with a bundle of certificates for me to sign he wasn't too sure of one request he had for me. After a little hesitation he finally decided to review his request by asking me to make a recorded message for this gathering. Then immediately, to his surprise I advised him to send me an official invite and confirmed to him that I would come without fail.

Why I so decided? I had made a promise to come after my previous visit in March on the occasion of the one World Event during which I did not find time to meet you. I am therefore glad that today I have fulfilled my promise. But let me take this opportunity to commend our graduates today for the excellent job well done.

I believe I speak for everyone if I congratulate you for this accomplishment which to me, and to many others present here is no small feat. Congratulations to all graduates.

Mister President, a graduation such as today's is unique in many aspects; For our graduates, a graduation is a special occasion; a time of celebration; a time for a deserved sense of achievement, and once the festivities are over; a time of contemplating a new chapter in life. A door onto the world of work is opening along with all the joy, pains and responsibilities that go with it. For the University, it also a time when celebrates and salutes the very fine graduates it has produced. This is a fitting conclusion to yet another academic year.

For the parents who have funded their loved girls and boys, this event marks the fruition of investments they have made in them and also for the country.

Dear Graduates you have worked hard, and your parents, families and sponsors have sacrificed much to get you here. you owe yourselves a round of applause for all the effort and dedication you have invested in order for you to be here today for most of you, today's success comes on the back of many sacrifices and challenges each one of you with your own story to tell and experience to share. Frankly, it does not matter how many mountains you climbed, or how many rivers you crossed, or how many obstacles you had to conquer. Today what matters is that you are all here to reap the fruits of your labour in the presence of some members of families and friends.

For three or four years LPU has been your corner. But today the University is releasing you into the world. You will all scatter across the country and beyond and each of you will find a new corner, better equipped to positively impact the world around you because of your time well-spent here at LPU.

But, as you leave this University, remember that you are carrying the flag of a unique training ground and you have our best wishes for your future. I urge you to make LPU proud through your contribution to not only individual families but also, and most importantly, to Tanzania, as a whole.

I also invite you to take a continuing interest in you soon to be alma mater and I am quite sure the University has some openings for those interested to pursue further programs. We should be inspired by the wisdom by Henry Ford Who once said: "Anyone who stops learning is old, weather at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." Hence, the greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.

It has also been said elsewhere, Quote:

"The mind is like a garden, if it is not watered, and cultivated, weeds will take over."

Dear Friends,

I should not be eating more into your dinner and dance time. But I must conclude by reiterating my sincere appreciation for this invite and also for the warm reception you accorded to us.

My final parting words will be better reflected in the following anecdote:

"Two friends were talking about a guy. "I will never invite him to my parties-again," one said "Last time he did something I didn't like" "What was that?" "He came."

You invited us. We hope you meant it. And we hope we will not do anything to deny us an invitation to the next occasion.

I thank you for your kind attention.