VIDEO: Kikwete mourns former President Mkapa

What you need to know:

  • According to Kikwete who was the Foreign affairs minister under Mr Mkapa, death is a mystery that only God knows.

Dar es Salaam. Former President Jakaya Kikwete said he received with great shock the death of third phase president Benjamin Mkapa because he had met him less than 24 hours at the hospital and was doing well.

 “Yesterday I was with him at the hospital and we talked for about an hour and he was doing well he was not in trouble wahsoever and we agreed we would meet the next day to continue our conversation. I don't know what to say …when I received the news of his death after midnight I was shocked and asked what happened,” said Mr Kikwete.

He said Tanzania has lost a very important person who was patriotic and love his country beyond measures. 

 “You know there is a patient that you visit and know that he might be in danger  but for Mkapa he was very healthy, “he added.

According to Kikwete who was the Foreign affairs minister under Mr Mkapa, death is a mystery that only God knows.

For his part, former Finance Minister Basili Mramba said late Mkapa was the one who put  Tanzania on the global map by focusing on the economy.

“We are indebted to him he has left us and the economy is booming we must continue what he did, but he also defended poor households by establishing Tasaf,” he said.