President Magufuli leads nation in mourning diplomat Augustine Mahiga

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli on Friday, May 1, led the nation in mourning the fallen Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Dr Augustine Mahiga who passed on after a short illness at his home in Dodoma.
The President was joined by high profile leaders in government, international organizations and political parties in sending out messages of condolences to the grieving family, the parliament, the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the diplomatic community locally and globally.
“Despite his elderly age, experience and the high positions he held in government and internationally, Dr Mahiga was a humble and obedient person in the way he fulfilled his  responsibilities,’’ said a Statehouse statement quoting President Magufuli, signed by the Director of Presidential Communications Gerson Msigwa.
Further, the Head of State described Dr Mahiga as a hardworking, patriot, with integrity and an outstanding diplomat who represented and fought for the country’s interests in the international arena for many years.
Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan described the late Mahiga as a bother as she sent a message to console the grieving family through her twitter page.
She wrote, partly quoted, “I have received reports of the loss of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister, my brother, his excellence, ambassador, Dr Augustine Philip Mahiga (MP) that occurred at his home in Dodoma….”
The United Nations (UN) in Tanzania described Mahiga as a good friend of the entire UN.
“Balozi Mahiga was a good friend of @UnitedNationsTZ and the entire @UN global family having served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in #Somalia @UNSomalia,” reads the UN condolence message.
ACT-Wazalendo party leader ZittoKabwe described Dr Mahiga as a single Tanzanian who knew the world at its strategic security studies.
“He was the army colonel, head of the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS) and an outstanding diplomat. Sorry to the family and the CCM MPs caucus. Sad, sad,” he wrote on Twitter.
The opposition’s shadow minister for the Foreign and International Relations, Esther Matiko said Tanzania has lost an experienced diplomat.
The British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Sarah Cooke described Mahiga as a friend of the United Kingdom.
“Incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Mheshimiwa Balozi Mahiga. A wise and experienced diplomat who was a close partner and friend of the UK. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very sad time,’’ she posted on her official Twitter page.