More tributes pour in for Mkapa as Mtwara, Lindi ready for burial

Dar es Salaam/Mtwara. Tanzanians are today expected to begin paying their last respects to fallen Third Phase President Benjamin Mkapa at the Uhuru Stadium in the city.

Government spokesman Hassan Abbas yesterday issued the programme that begins today from 9am with a Requiem Mass at the Uhuru Stadium.

After the Holy Mass, Tanzanians will start paying their last respects throughout the day led by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

This will continue tomorrow. Government leaders who will not be able to pay their last respects on Sunday and Monday would have the opportunity to do so on Tuesday, according to Dr Abbasi.

“We will issue out a list of countries’ leaders that have confirmed participation,’’ he said, adding that further details will be revealed in due course.

In Mtwara, Regional Commissioner Gelasius Byakanwa urged residents in Mtwara and Lindi regions to turn out in big numbers during the burial of Mkapa at his home village Lupaso in Masasi District.

Briefing journalists, Mr Byakanwa said the burial should bring together all Tanzanians to Lupaso for the event following the demise of the statesman at a Dar es Salaam City hospital on Friday where he had been admitted to.

Globally, the Assistant Secretary for the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, said former President Benjamin Mkapa was a great friend to the United States.

“We reflect with gratitude on his successes in upholding Tanzania’s democratic institutions and promoting peace and security on the African continent,’’ said Nagy on a tweet.

The UNAIDS in its message of condolences described Mr Mkapa as a bold and compassionate leader who worked to promote peace in eastern Africa and was committed to ending Aids, being credited with much of Tanzania’s success in responding to HIV.

“I’ve learned with sadness that the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa, has passed away,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS in a statement to the media. “He was a tireless champion for peace and an AIDS-free Africa. UNAIDS pays tribute to him for his courage, his strength and his leadership.”

Visiting Mkapa’s Masaki residence Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the death of Mkapa was a big blow to the country. “This is really tragic news because he [Mkapa] wasn’t that much sick and I had plans of visiting him personally.”

“His potential was so huge especially when it comes to big national issues. You know the work that the late Mkapa did was huge, he was the patron of the nation,” she said.

For his part, Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein said during his tenure the late Mkapa did a big job to transform the country into the fields of the economy, science and technology.

“Some of us were mentored by him, he appointed me his Vice President and that meant working closely with him,” he said.

Second Phase President Ali Hassan Mwinyi said Mkapa was a hardworking and resilient person who did not want to interfere in other people’s affairs.

“We have been with him for a long time and we have worked with him during the time of Mzee Nyerere. I could not find any faults in him but his good qualities,” said Mzee Mwinyi.

Former Foreign Affairs minister Bernard Membe, for his part, said the passing of Mkapa was a blow to the nation especially as the country was heading to the General Election.

Mr Membe, who joined the ACT Wazalendo party recently after his expulsion from CCM, said this yesterday in Lindi Region after adjourning the party’s meeting in the region.

“In an election like the one we’re heading to, it is unfortunate to lose someone who is so much experienced with election issues, and who even participated in advising on electoral matters,” he said.

He said Mkapa was involved in peace mediations in many countries including Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan and DR Congo, before, during and after his presidency.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof Ibrahim Juma, said late Mkapa would be remembered, among others, for setting up a Corruption Commission that had uncovered the magnitude of the problem and proposed ways of dealing with it.