Former Executive Secretary of the Liberation Committee of the Organisation of African Unity, Brigadier General (rtd) Hashim Mbita, who died in Dar es Salaam on Sunday. PHOTO | FILE
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The death of the southern Africa liberation efforts hero came as the nation was celebrating 51 years of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and the government said it received shocking news with sadness.
Dar es Salaam. The former military strategist and executive secretary of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) Liberation Committee, Brigadier General (rtd) Hashim Mbita (pictured), has died.
The death of the southern Africa liberation efforts hero came as the nation was celebrating 51 years of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and the government said it received shocking news with sadness.
A statement from the Presidential Directorate of Communication yesterday said Brig Gen Mbita, who has been battling with an illness for a long time, passed away at Lugalo Military Hospital in the city yesterday morning. Following his death, President Jakaya Kikwete sent his condolences to the family and relatives while directing the government and Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) to co-ordinate with the family in making funeral arrangements. The President described him as a long-serving public servant. “There are few people in this country who we can compare with Brig Gen Mbita; he was a man of his own kind who served this country for a long time and in all that period, he executed his duties ably and diligently,” said the Head of State.
The fallen general served in different posts in the civil service, military, media and politics.
At different times he worked as government chief press officer, press secretary to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, publicity secretary and national executive secretary for Tanganyika’s nationalist party, Tanu.
Last year, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe awarded him with a prestigious award Royal Order of Monomotapa. This award is the highest honour in Zimbabwe, bestowed to those who excelled in the struggle for the liberation of Zimbabwe and other southern African countries.
Brig Gen Mbita played a major role in regional liberation as well as integration during his 20 year tenure as the executive secretary of the OAU (precursor to the African Union–AU) Liberation Committee.
This same honour was bestowed to Tanzania’s Father of the Nation Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, former Angolan President Augustino Neto, Samora Machel of Mozambique and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia among a few others.
That was after President Mugabe inaugurated nine volumes of Hashim Mbita’s project publications on the genesis of the Southern African liberation. The publications were published by a leading Tanzanian publishing house, Mkuki na Nyota Publishers.
The publication, known otherwise by Statistical Yearbook provides a powerful instrument for planning and monitoring the implementation of the regional integration. Statistics contained in the book enable local and foreign investors to effectively and informatively map out business in the region.
When paying his tribute, director of the Tanzania Information Services, Mr Assah Mwambene, who doubles as government spokesman, told The Citizen that Brig Gen Mbita stood out as one of the most exemplary leaders in Tanzania who gave his all for the country.
“We witnessed his great contribution to the liberation of Sadc countries, explaining why President Mugabe found it apt to confer to him the Royal Order of Monomotapa,” Mr Mwambene noted.
Despite holding different top positions, Brig Gen Mbita was never arrogant, going about his duties as an ordinary citizen, a characteristic that endeared him to many who saw him as a good leader, said the Maelezo chief. He said the man will be sadly missed by the nation and Africa as a whole, for his contribution towards African development was still needed.
