He was one of 25 surviving children of Nyerere Burito, the chief of the Zanaki people. Burito had been born in 1860 and given the name "Nyerere" ("caterpillar" in Zanaki) after a plague of worm caterpillars infested the local area at the time of his birth
Iye anali mmodzi mwa ana 25 omwe anapulumuka a Nyerere Burito, mfumu ya anthu a Zanaki. Burito adabadwa mchaka cha 1860 ndipo adapatsidwa dzina loti 'Nyerere' ('mbozi' ku Zanaki) pambuyo pa mliri wa mbozi womwe unadza m'derali panthawi yomwe anabadwa