Dodoma. Speaker of the National Assembly, Mussa Zungu, has suspended Parliamentary Committee sittings for one day to allow Members of Parliament (MPs) to mourn the death of their colleague, William Lukuvi.
Parliamentary committees are currently in Dodoma for scheduled meetings, while others are in different regions inspecting government development projects.
Mr Lukuvi, who served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Labour, Employment and Persons with Disabilities), died early on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, while receiving treatment at Benjamin Mkapa Zonal Referral Hospital in Dodoma.
According to a statement issued by the Parliament’s Communications and Public Relations Unit, Mr Zungu invoked Rule 176 of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly (August 2025 edition) to suspend the sittings.
Reports of the death of the Isimani Constituency MP in Iringa Region, who had served in Parliament since 1995, began circulating earlier in the day before being confirmed by the Chief Secretary, Ambassador Dr Moses Kusiluka.
Ambassador Kusiluka conveyed condolences from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who announced the death and sent her sympathies to the people of Isimani and to the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Mr Lukuvi’s death brings to three the number of MPs who have died during the 13th Parliament since its inauguration by President Hassan.
The others are Jenister Mhagama (Peramiho), who died on December 11, 2025, and Special Seats MP Halima Idd, who died on January 18, 2026.
