| Chadema MP dies in car crash | Send to a friend |
| Sunday, 15 January 2012 11:37 |
 By Polycarp Machira and Julieth Ngarabali The Citizen Reporters Dar es Salaam/Kibaha. Chadema Special Seats MP Regia Mtema died yesterday in an accident on the Dar es Salaam-Chalinze highway in Coast Region. Coast Regional Police Commander Ernest Mangu told The Citizen on Sunday that the MP died after the vehicle she was driving veered off the road and rolled several times. Seven other people who were also traveling in the car were seriously injured in the 11am accident at Ruvu. According to eyewitnesses, the accident happened when Ms Mtema swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle as she was attempting to overtake a lorry. “She swerved off the road and lost control of the vehicle, which rolled several times. She died on the spot,” Mr Mangu said. The injured were taken to Tumbi Hospital in Kibaha. Lawrence Mtokambali, 58, Bernadetta Mtema, 50, Peter Madesa, 50, and Rojas Abdallah, 18, were admitted, while Theresia Mtema, 26, and Abdallah Hamad were transferred to Muhimbili National Hospital. President Jakaya Kikwete sent his condolences to the Chadema chairman and Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament, Mr Freeman Mbowe. “I received with great sorrow news of Ms Mtema’s death in a road accident. The accident has not only cut short the life of a young politician, but has also robbed the nation of an active and committed MP. I sincerely send to you personally, the party and members my condolences at this difficult time,” President Kikwete said in a statement. National Assembly Speaker Anne Makinda said her office had received news of Ms Mtema’s death with “profound sorrow”. Chadema said in a statement that Ms Mtema’s death was a big blow to the party, adding that the thoughts of party leaders were with the late MP’s loved ones. “Chadema is sending condolences to the bereaved family, party members and Kilombero residents following the sudden and untimely death of a hard-working and committed MP,” said the statement signed by Chadema’s Director of Information and Publicity, Mr John Mnyika, who is also the Ubungo MP. Ms Mtema was a Special Seats MP from Morogoro Region. The Civic United Front (CUF) also condoled Chadema and the MP’s family. “It is sad that the nation has lost such a hard-working, young and energetic MP. Tanzanian women had a lot to learn from her,” CUF Deputy Secretary-General Julius Mtatiro said. Ms Mtema was born on April 21, 1980 and went to Forodhani Secondary School in Dar es Salaam before joining Machame Girls Secondary School for her advanced secondary education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in home economics and human nutrition from the Sokoine University of Agriculture before going into politics. She was a senior official in Chadema’s Directorate of Youth Affairs. Ms Mtema is the second Chadema parliamentarian to have died in a road accident in three years after former Tarime MP Chacha Wangwe was killed in a crash near Dodoma in July 2008. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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