President Jakaya Kikwete and First Lady Salma Kikwete pay their respects to Finance minister William Mgimwa at Karimjee Hall, Dar es Salaam, yesterday. Dr Mgimwa, who died last Wednesday in South Africa, will be buried today in his home village in Iringa Rural District. PHOTO | FIDELIS FELIX
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Finance Permanent Secretary Servacius Likwelile said during a farewell function at Karimjee grounds that Dr Mgimwa had developed kidney complications that led to his hospitalisation in South Africa.
Dar es Salaam. Finance Minister William Mgimwa died of kidney failure, the government revealed yesterday.
Finance Permanent Secretary Servacius Likwelile said during a farewell function at Karimjee grounds that Dr Mgimwa had developed kidney complications that led to his hospitalisation in South Africa.
“He left the country on November 3, last year, for a routine checkup, but his doctor recommended that he be admitted,” Dr Likwelile said, adding that the minister died while receiving treatment.
President Jakaya Kikwete led hundreds of people in paying their last respects to the fallen minister, who will be buried today in Kalenga Constituency, Iringa Rural District, which he represented in Parliament.
Last week, Dr Mgimwa’s son, Godfrey, said the minister told his family that he was going for a normal checkup, but they were surprised when he was admitted in South Africa.
“He went for a normal checkup, but we were told that he would not be coming home as expected...this left us in limbo,” he said.
CCM Deputy Secretary-General (Mainland) Mwigulu Nchemba also said he was aware that Dr Mgimwa had kidney problems.
“We knew that he was suffering from kidney problems, and he that was in South Africa for a checkup,” Mr Nchemba told reporters at Dr Mgimwa’s house at Mikocheni B.
Dr Mgimwa’s body was flown to Iringa Region yesterday afternoon ahead of his burial in his home village.
National Assembly Speaker Anne Makinda said Dr Mgimwa had died at a time when the nation needed him most.
“Honourable Mgimwa died as he was serving the nation...we agreed that there would be an evaluation of the budget every three months. This is what he was working on when he was admitted,” she said.
The Ugandan Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Aston Kajara, who spoke on behalf of other Finance ministers from East African Community members countries, said that Dr Mgimwa was an asset not only to Tanzania but also to other EAC members.
“He gave us a very insightful lecture when we discussed the single EAC currency and single customs territory. The EAC has lost an important asset,” he said.
The solemn event was attended by ministers, senior government officials, diplomats, politicians and hundreds of Dar es Salaam residents.
