Zanzibar MPs overcome with emotions outside the National Assembly in Dodoma yesterday shortly after learning about the sudden death of their colleague for Dimani, Hafidh Ali Tahir.
PHOTO|EDWIN MJWAHUZI.
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In the question, Mr Tahir also a prominent football referee, said this would enable the government avoid huge costs of holding a by-election.
Dodoma. As if he predicted his own death, in his last question as an MP, Hafidh Ali Tahir (Dimani-CCM) had asked the government why the government didn’t consider changing a law so that a primary runner-up in a parliamentary election was sworn in case an MP dies.
In the question, Mr Tahir also a prominent football referee, said this would enable the government avoid huge costs of holding a by-election.
He asked the question in Parliament on November 1 and on the wee hours of yesterday, which was the end of the two weeks’ meeting, Mr Tahir breathed his last at Dodoma Referral Hospital.
Responding to his question the deputy minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, National Assembly, Employment, Youth and Disabled), Dr Abdallah Possi, said since Tanzanians were not going to the ballot box to vote for a political party, but a candidate, then taking a primary runner-up to cover for a fallen MP was not possible and the cost of the by-election was inevitable in that manner. Now, in a short time his constituency, Dimani, will hold a by-election to choose his successor.
His death shocked his colleagues since Thursday night. He was active in National Assembly commitments. He participated in all parliamentary sessions and when the meeting was called off he went on to attend the meeting of Parliament Sports Club, which was also attended by Speaker Job Ndugai.
He was also among the 10 MPs lined to officially represent other MPs for the burial of former Speaker Samuel Sitta today.
The club is preparing for an East African Community (EAC) inter-parliamentary sports competition to be held in Mombasa later next month. Mr Tahir was serving as deputy coach of the Parliament’s football team.
In the meeting, Mr Tahir assured Speaker Ndugai that his team was well prepared for the competition and they were looking forward to bringing the trophy back home in honour of the Parliament and President John Pombe Magufuli.
After the meeting, Mr Tahir is reported to have complained that he was not feeling well and drove himself to hospital. According to the Dodoma Region chief medical officer, Dr James Kilogwe, he was suffering from blood pressure and passed away on Friday at 3am.
“When I received the bad news, I was really shocked. I was with him yesterday (Thursday) night and he was doing just fine. He didn’t show any sign of illness, but now he is gone. It is a sad reality that we have to accept and live with,” said Speaker Ndugai yesterday at during short farewell ceremony held in his honour outside the debating chamber.
Mr Tahir was flown to Zanzibar at 11am and he was buried after Friday prayers.
