Deaths that left political scene the poorer in 2016

Dar es Salaam. “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” That is William Shakespeare’s Prospero reflecting on the fleeting nature of drama and life in the world-acclaimed playwright’s romantic comedy, The Tempest. Indeed, we have come to accept this sleep – death – as one fate that unites humanity.

Death is a certainty. Still, 2016 stands out as a particularly tough year for Tanzania, with the death of not one, but at least eight prominent public figures – the majority of who breathed their last between August and December.

One tribute after another, from Mzee Aboud Jumbe Mwinyi and Samwel Sitta to Joseph Mungai and Didas Masaburi, many described the deaths of the nation’s seasoned politicians as a huge blow.

The year came and will be gone in a fortnight – sadly leaving the political arena poorer.

The last quarter has been especially heartbreaking, because it’s in the past three to four months that death more eerily, and more frequently knocked on our door.

We now look back to count the nation’s loss in 12 months – in a timeline on some of the departed souls that left indelible marks in their public service careers that spanned over decades:

Prof Idris Mtulia (Dec 5, Age 73)

The former Member of Parliament for the Rufiji Constituency and chairman of the Medical Stores Department (MSD) board of directors died at his Dar es Salaam home less than a fortnight ago. He is the latest high profile figure to die this year. Prof Mtulia served in various positions, including a stint as the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Health from 1995 to 2001. He was buried on December 6.

Outside the political arena, the professor will be remembered as one of the best medical practitioners this country has ever produced. He was personal doctor to the then President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

Hafidh Ali Tahir (November 11, 63)

A journalist-turned-politician, the ruling party CCM’s Dimani Constituency lawmaker died at the Dodoma Referral Hospital, a day after he fell in Parliament last month, ending a career that had just started to blossom.

Mr Tahir became the MP for Dimani after winning the 2015 elections. He will also be remembered as a prominent football referee, and a journalist who worked with the Ministry of Information in Zanzibar, where he headed broadcasting at Radio Zanzibar between 1970 and 1978.

His journey into the Isle’s politics started in 1995 when he became the CCM Chief Whip in the Zanzibar archipelago.

Saleh Ramadhan Feruzi (Nov 7)

The former CCM deputy secretary general (Zanzibar) succumbed to a long illness that had forced him several trips to India in search of treatment. His death came a just a few days before that of his colleague, Mr Hafidh Ali Tahir, plunging the Isles into a week of mourning for its fallen politicians.

Mr Feruzi, who served the ruling party for more than a decade, will be largely remembered for advocating pluralism in Zanzibari politics.

Joseph Mungai (Nov 8, aged 73)

A long serving government minister and Mufindi MP for 35 years, Mr Mungai died at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) on November 8 after a short illness.

He became one of the youngest Tanzanians to hold a cabinet post after he was appointed Minister of Agriculture by the Father of the Nation Julius Nyerere at the age of 28.

Testimony to his leadership capabilities, subsequent administrations trusted Mr Mungai with cabinet dockets including Culture, and Education and Vocational Training.

Foreign Affairs and East Africa Corporation minister Augustine Mahiga described the former minister as an “icon and true leader”.

Maalim Zubeir Juma (Nov 8)

He was the first chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) after the restoration of multipartism in the country. It is during his reign at ZEC that the CCM candidate in the first multiparty poll in 1995, Dr Salmin Amour, won the presidency by a slight margin.

Dr Amour garnered 50.1 per cent of the votes while CUF candidate, Seif Sharrif Hamadi, had 49.9 per cent. But CUF and international observers claimed the polls were rigged and ZEC had a hand in it.

He was buried in Kizimbani on November 9.

Samuel Sitta-(Nov 7, 74 years)

A strong work ethic marked the career of the former Speaker of the National Assembly, whose death in what has come to be known as ‘the week of mourning’ caught many unaware.

It was perhaps the most shocking of it all – his death, though it came a few weeks after images of him looking frail had emerged in the media. Those images, apparently, did not prepare Tanzanians for the worst.

Many could not believe it as news of his death at the Technical University of Munich Hospital, Germany where he had sought treatment for prostate cancer spread.

Mr Sitta is largely credited for transforming Parliament into a respected national institution – and his reign in the august will be remembered for fruitful, non-partisan debates.

Former Prime Minister John Malecela described him as the “unsung hero of pluralism” who engineered the transition to multiparty democracy. He ensured that country’s legal framework accommodated changes.

Ms Angellah Kairuki, minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), said for the 49 years he spent in public service, Mr Sitta made for himself a history of “integrity and hardworking”.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe credited Mr Sitta for freeing Parliament from the shackles of the Executive, and transforming it into an independent organ with powers to fearlessly supervise the government.

Didas Masaburi (Oct 12, 56 years)

The former Dar es Salaam City mayor died on October 12 at Muhimbili National Hospital. His sudden rise to the centre stage of national politics is probably tied to the mayoral seat of the country’s commercial capital – itself a political hotbed.

He took the reins at the Dar City Council in December 2010, three months after winning the Kivukoni councillorship. But his stint as mayor – at one time tainted by the council’s controversial decision, under his watch, to sell ‘Usafiri Dar es Salaam’ (UDA) in 2011 – came to an end last year when he tried his hands at the Ubungo parliamentary seat. He lost to Saed Kubenea.

President Magufuli described his death as “shocking”.

Aboud Jumbe Mwinyi (Aug 14, 96 years)

On August 14, former Zanzibar President Aboud Jumbe Mwinyi died at his Mjimwema home on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. In his long career in public service, he held several positions, including the second presidency of Zanzibar, chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Vice President of the Union, and the vice chairman of CCM.

He became the Zanzibari President in 1972 following the assassination of Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume. He held that position for 12 years to 1984 when the ruling party CCM forced him to resign.

President President Magufuli said the former Zanzibari President played a “key role in building and defending Tanzania we see it today”. It was during his tenure as the Isles President, in 1977, that the two ruling parties of Tanzania merged. In particular, the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) and the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), merged to create Tanzania’s ruling party, the CCM.

In 1979, Mr Jumbe introduced the first post-revolution constitution of Zanzibar. This separated the powers of the Revolutionary Council and the House of Representatives. Furthermore, the new constitution established elections by universal suffrage, instead of being elected by the Revolutionary Council.