Businessmen mourn Arusha RAS

Arusha. The fallen Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Richard Kwitega, has been described as key to the private sector’s development here.
Members of the business community in the safari capital were until yesterday yet to come to terms with his demise in a tragic road accident in Manyara Region.
“I am still in shock. He was very supportive of the private sector,” said Mr Mathias Manga, a local hotel investor and gemstone dealer.
He said during his seven years at the Arusha regional secretariat, the late technocrat ensured there were no snags which inhibited business development.
Mr Manga, who runs the Gold Crest Hotel here, was among scores of people who trooped to the home of Mr Kwitega in the leafy suburbs of Arusha early yesterday.
Walter Maeda, the chairperson of the Arusha chapter of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), said the tragedy was a great loss.
“He was very helpful to the business community. To us his death is a great loss...an irreparable loss,” he told The Citizen on the phone.
He said as recently as December 9, he hastily convened a meeting for members of the business community, specifically aimed to know the bottlenecks they confronted.
A tourism consultant Elisha Mayalla said despite being a civil servant, the late Kwitega was very accommodative to the tourism industry and other business sectors. “He understood the sector very well. He was accommodative and would have done more if he lived longer,” he said. Mr Andrew Kimolo, a former manager with Leopard Tours, said the late RAS was much ‘friendly’ to the tourism industry, until recently a leading employer in Arusha.
“I did not interact with him directly, but I can remember what he did during meetings of the business sector. It is so sad we’ve lost him,” he pointed out.
Siriki Akko, the executive secretary of Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato) said the Arusha-based loby would issue a statement later.
Mr Kwitega was also mourned by the civil society sector in Arusha, one of which described him as an exemplary leader who was development oriented.
“He was a team player, treasured people, valued hard work with a humble heart to advice,” said Peter Owaga, the country director of DSW Tanzania. He went on: “We have lost a great leader in Arusha.” The same sentiments were expressed by Frank Ademba with Farm Radio International, an NGO operating here.
Officials of the Regional Commissioner’s Office, the body of the top regional technocrat would be given a send-off at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium today.
Later on his body will be transported to his home village in Sengerema village, Mwanza Region for burial. The late Kwitega was appointed Arusha RAS in April 2016. Prior to that he served as a deputy RAS in charge of human resource in the same secretariat from 2014.
“It’s shocking to all of us in tourism industry. He has been instrumental in whatever achievements reached by the industry in Arusha and beyond because he was a man with a rare combination of highest level of professionalism and a sense of humor something which compounded his delivery of work with synergy,” said Mr Sirili Akko, the executive secretary of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato).
“It’s regrettable that we say this good deeds of him after he has passed on, we wish that he’s back to hear what we have to say of him. Our hearts goes to His family, friends and Arusha Regional Commissioner.  The tourism industry offers deepest and sincere condolences for his untimely demise as well as prayers for his eternal bliss,” he added.