Dar es Salaam. Humility, respect for others and a lifelong commitment to helping people are among the qualities that family members, colleagues and friends say will define the legacy of former Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) Board Chairman, Leonard Mususa.
Ms Mususa, who died on Saturday, May 30, 2026, will be laid to rest on Tiesday, June 2, 2026, at Kondo Cemetery.
Speaking at the deceased' home in Masaki, former Chief Secretary and Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, said he had known the late Mususa through family ties long before they worked together on the Presidential Commission on Tax System Reforms.
During their time on the commission, Mr Sefue said the deceased distinguished himself through the depth of his ideas, his valuable contributions to tax reform discussions and his willingness to listen to others with fairness and respect.
He described Mususa as a man who respected, loved, and cared for people regardless of their status in society.
“He was an important person in this country, but you would never have thought so because he gave everyone an equal opportunity to speak to him and be heard,” said Mr Sefue.
Beyond his professional achievements, Mr Sefue remembered Mr Mususa as a compassionate individual who never hesitated to help those facing difficulties.
“If you had a problem and told Mr Mususa about it, he would never leave you without helping. He truly disliked seeing others suffer when he was in a position to assist them,” he said.
According to Mr Sefue, Mr Mususa’s kindness, humility and genuine concern for others remained unchanged despite the many senior positions he held throughout his career.
Mr Mususa’s eldest son, Patrick Mususa, shared one of his father’s final joyful moments before his passing — celebrating Arsenal’s English Premier League title triumph.
Patrick recalled that when his father retired as MCL board chairman, he received a portrait of himself wearing an Arsenal jersey as a farewell gift.
Following Arsenal’s league title victory, Mr Mususa jokingly remarked that the portrait had finally gained meaning.
“The day Arsenal won the Premier League, he told us, ‘Now this picture has meaning. Now I can celebrate.’ Those are some of the beautiful moments we witnessed just days before he went to be with God,” said Patrick.
He also recalled spending several days with his father attending family events, including the funeral of a relative in Mlandizi, Coast Region.
“We travelled together, attended the burial together and shared meals together. He was that kind of person. He loved taking part in social activities, encouraging people and laughing with them,” he said.
Patrick described his father as a mentor and father, figure to many people beyond his immediate family.
“During our upbringing, many brothers and sisters came through our home. Our father’s door was always open to relatives and friends who needed help or a place to stay,” he said.
He noted that the deceased transformed many lives through his generosity, guidance and commitment to education.
According to Patrick, his father approached difficult situations with remarkable calmness and wisdom.
“He had the ability to reduce the pressure and seriousness of problems simply through thoughtful reflection. He handled life’s challenges with calmness and simplicity,” he said.
Patrick added that his father ensured his children received quality education while extending similar support to many other young people.
He also nurtured talent and encouraged those around him to pursue excellence.
He said the leadership lessons his father imparted continue to inspire his children.
“We watched him closely and followed his example. It was not easy because we often wondered how he managed to do so much. Whenever we asked him, he would simply laugh and say, ‘You can do it too,’” Patrick recalled.
Leonard Mususa is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren.
Family, friends and colleagues say his legacy of service, humility and compassion will continue to inspire generations to come.
Mtama Member of Parliament Nape Nnauye said Mr Mususa was like a parent to him and recalled working closely with him during his tenure at MCL while he served as Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology.
He said they worked together on the drafting of several laws and regulations, with Mr Mususa playing a key advisory role in the development of the current Media Services Act.
“As you may recall, the media policy at the time proposed that 51 percent ownership of media outlets should be held by Tanzanians. For MCL, this posed a challenge. Mr Mususa and I developed an arrangement that enabled the company to continue operating,” he said.
Mr Nnauye said he would remember the deceased for his vast knowledge, civility and intellect, describing him as one of the country’s brightest minds and a man who consistently found solutions whenever challenges arose.
Mtama Member of Parliament Nape Nnauye
He added that their last conversation took place when Mr Mususa was stepping down as chairman of the MCL Board, during which they also discussed the state of the economy.
For his part, Treasury Registrar, Mr Nehemia Mchechu, said he first met Mr Mususa when the latter was working at PwC while he was employed at Standard Chartered Bank, with both based in the same building.
Over the years, he said, they collaborated in various capacities across both the public and private sectors, including through the establishment of the CEO Roundtable.
Mr Mchechu said they also worked closely after Mr Mususa succeeded the late Ali Mufuruki as chairman of the CEO Roundtable.
“He was a man of vision, principles, and strong ethics. We thought we might face difficulties after Mufuruki’s passing, but when Mr Mususa took over, everything continued smoothly,” he said.
According to Mr Mchechu, the deceased contributed to several major national initiatives, including a task force formed to address the shortage of US dollars, where his expertise and insight proved invaluable.
“He was committed to finding practical solutions to the country’s challenges and always brought wisdom, integrity and professionalism to every assignment,” he said.
Family, friends and colleagues have continued to remember Mr Mususa as a humble leader whose service, integrity and commitment to national development left a lasting impact across the public and private sectors.
