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The life and times of Tanzanian scholar who died with seven degrees
What you need to know:
- Prof Mwafwenga, suffered from over kidney complications for a long time but it was only last year when what ailed his health was discovered
Dar es Salaam. One of Tanzania’s most highly-schooled individual, Prof Handley Mpoki Mwafwenga, died yesterday at Muhimbili National Hospital over kidney complications.
Prof Mwafwenga, who held as many as seven degrees died while receiving treatment at the country’s top hospital.
News about the death of Prof Mwafwenga, who was a senior officer in the Public Private Partnership Department of the Ministry of Finance, started circulating in various social media platforms early yesterday and was later confirmed by family members and the ministry.
“He has been unwell for some time. His condition worsened yesterday (on Monday) so he had to be rushed to Muhimbili where he was hospitalised at the ICU….when we went there in the morning, we found out that he has passed away,” said Mr Innocent Mwafwenga who is a younger brother to the deceased.
He said his late brother had suffered from a kidney complications for a long time but it was only last year that they realised what was ailing his health.
“He had been quite unwell for about one year now,” he said, noting that Prof Mwafwenga has left behind a widow and four children.
In 2019, Prof Mwafwenga’s curriculum vitae (CV) became a subject of debate on social media platforms.
Prof Mwafwenga held three ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ (PhD) degrees, three Master’s degrees and a Bachelor of Law degree.
Apart from two advanced diplomas, he had set his eyes on acquiring a total of 10 degrees. By 2019 he was pursuing a fourth PhD.
His journey to several degrees started in 1987 when he graduated with an Advanced Diploma from the Dar es Salaam-based Institute of Finance Management (IFM).
Thereafter, Prof Mafwenga saw the sky as the only limit to his academic pursuit.
With several other ‘short-course certificates,’ Prof Mwafwenga stood tall among the learned breed, holding several professional titles as an economist, a psychologist, a lawyer and a tax expert.
The 56-year old started schooling at the Mwananyamala Primary School, then proceeded to Sangu Secondary School where he completed his O-level education in 1975.
His craving for professorship started as a young boy when his father kept addressing him by the title ‘Professor.’
“My father kept telling me to study hard. He was a primary school teacher….My father instilled in me the love for life-long schooling,” he said in an interview with The Citizen in 2019, revealing that their family has several PhD holders.
Prof Mwafwenga told The Citizen during a past interview that whenever he got a brainwave of how some people love beer, football or spending time with their loved ones, he could get a strong urge for further studies.
“I study whenever I face a new challenge in life. I hate the tendency of giving up without coming up with a lasting solution to it,” said Prof Mwafwenga who has already published four books, and more than 50 articles in vetted journals.
Pro Mwafwenga sought the ruling party’s endorsement for the position of Speaker of Parliament when Mr Job Ndugai resigned from the post in January, 2022.
