Tanzania: Nation in mourning following death of media and entertainment guru Ruge
What you need to know:
- President John Magufuli, his predecessor, Jakaya Kikwete, cabinet ministers, MPs, artists and other dignitaries take to social media on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, to mourn the loss of one of Tanzania’s influential media personalities.
Dar es Salaam. A cross section of leaders and opinion shapers in the country were engulfed in grief as the nation mourned the death, on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, of influential media personality Mr Ruge Mutahaba, 49.
President John Magufuli, his predecessor, Jakaya Kikwete, cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs) and artists were among those who mourned the passing of one of Tanzania’s media and entertainment gurus.
Ruge died on Tuesday evening at a South African hospital where he was admitted for several weeks for treatment of a kidney ailment. News of his death have sent shockwaves across the country where he made a name as a mentor and motivational speaker.
Ruge was the director of strategy and programmes development at Clouds Media Group. It was from here that he made a mark as a shrewd media manager and businessman.
President Magufuli and Mr Kikwete used their twitter handles to condole with the family of the deceased whom they knew personally. Dr Magufuli who referred to Ruge as “my son” said he was a true patriot who touched the lives of many through his mentorship of Tanzanian youth.
Kikwete who is currently leading a team of Commonwealth election observers in Nigeria confessed to receiving a lot of help and support from the deceased during his time as president and even in retirement.
“The country has lost a talented and patriotic young man, my heart is with his parents, relatives and family members as they pass through this trying time,” said Mr Kikwete.
Ummy Mwalimu
Health minister Ms Ummy Mwalimu and her Union and Environment counterpart, Mr January Makamba also mourned MR Ruge, with January alluding to an “unfinished business” with the deceased. Mr Makamba said in a recent media interview that Ruge goaded him into seeking CCM’s ticket for the presidency in 2015.
Ms Ummy recalled how Ruge assisted her ministry to mount successful public health campaigns on HIV/Aids, malaria and sanitation.
She said Clouds Media Group’s Malkia wa Nguvu (‘powerful queen’) campaign played a key role to empower, motivate and celebrate women’s contribution to society.
Hero
Former Home Affairs Minister, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, described Ruge as a hero and a fighter.
“You are gone Ruge! You are gone the hero! You are gone our fighter….I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted…” wrote Dr Nchemba.
Opposition politician and leader of ACT Wazalendo, Mr Zitto Kabwe, said Ruge’s life was full of lessons to all Tanzanians. Mr Kabwe twitted: “We all belong to God and to him we shall return. Ruge you have ‘slept for good’ but the life you lived is full of lessons to us.”
Gifted
For the deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr Tulia Ackson, Ruge was a gifted individual who had the gift to inspire action.
Dr Ackson said she first met Ruge in 2016 prior to the launch of her Tulia Trust.
She said had she met Ruge during her youth days, she wouldn’t have undergone the trouble she has undergone, she said of her time struggling to eke a living from selling vegetable and bans.
Former Minister of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr George Simbachawene said the country has lost Ruge at a time when it needed him most.
“We lost him at a time when we needed him most…He will always be remembered by the youths….One day, he was speaking at a certain function and he spoke about issues that really touched me. I decided to talk to him later and realised that he was such an asset to this nation,” he said.
Several artists’ associations and individual artists sent their condolence messages to Cloud Media Group to the entire nation for the death of Ruge.
