Tanzania: 73-year-old politician who married 25-year-old woman steals the show at VP’s rally

Tabora. Seventy-three-year old former Defence minister Prof Juma Kapuya, who recently married a 25-year-old woman became the centre of attention at a public rally that was addressed by Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Photos showing the former Member of Parliament for Urambo West (known as Kaliua Constituency) tying the knot with his 25-year-old lover on Sunday, February 17, 2019, went viral on social media, attracting commentators from across Tanzania and beyond.

Photos and videos posted online showed the bride and her much older groom exchanging vows in front of family and friends.

Internet users reacted differently to the marriage, with some saying the girl was old enough to make her own decision while others opposed it on grounds that when Prof Juma’s bride was born, the politician was two years shy of clocking 50 and was en-route to becoming a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

But in an interesting response, Prof Kapuya poured scorn on those opposed to his marriage when he spoke to The Citizen’s sister paper, Mwananchi, on Thursday, February 21.

 “Mlitaka nioe bibi (Did you want me to marry an old woman)?” he asked those opposed to his marriage.

And, addressing a public rally at Kaliua on Sunday, February 24, 2019, the Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, said she has known Prof Kapuya for a long time and that they had worked together as members of the cabinet of ministers when she (the Vice President) was the Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union Affairs).

She -- rather jokingly -- said as of now, Prof Kapuya has ‘gone several steps ahead’ and asked women to clap hands for him.

The women laughed and clapped hands for Prof Kapuya who was also present at the rally.