Fuoni MP Abbas Mwinyi buried amid tributes to his humility

Unguja. As Abbas Ali Mwinyi was laid to rest, some residents here recalled him as a humble man who disliked pomp and grand titles.

Mr Abbas Ali Mwinyi, elder brother to Zanzibar President, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, died on the night of Thursday, September 25, 2025, while receiving treatment at Lumumba Regional Hospital in Mjini Magharibi Region.

He was buried on Friday, September 26, 2025, at the family cemetery in Mangapwani, North Unguja Region.

The funeral prayer was led by Zanzibar’s Chief Mufti, Sheikh Saleh Omar Kaab, at Zinjibar Mosque, and the burial prayer in Mangapwani was led by Tanzania’s Chief Mufti, Dr Abuubakar Zebeir Ally.

Although the deceased was the son of the second President of Tanzania and third President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, he was not widely known even after joining politics following his retirement from aviation work.

He entered politics in 2020 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Fuoni Constituency in Mjini Magharibi Region on a Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket.

He was also the CCM candidate for the seat in the forthcoming general elections scheduled for October this year.

Following his death, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed elections in the constituency.

Speaking to The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, veteran politician and Fuoni resident Ali Makame said Mr Abbas was not widely known, even in his constituency, but was meticulous in his work.

“It is indeed a blow to lose our beloved. Even though I am in politics, Mr Abbas was not a political person. Even after retiring from his profession and joining politics, he was not someone you would frequently see on political platforms,” he said.

“It is possible he was not well-known despite the prominence of his father and brother,” he added.

The death of Abbas also led to the suspension of campaign activities, not only for his younger brother, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, who was on a tour in Pemba, but also by ACT Wazalendo, which halted its meetings planned for Mangapwani, where the burial took place at the family cemetery.

At the time of Abbas’s death on September 25, Dr Mwinyi was in Pemba as the guest of honour at a ceremony handing over contracts for two projects, the construction of Pemba International Airport and a 43.5 km road from Chakechake to Mkoani.

Dr Mwinyi was compelled to leave the event, instructing his Second Vice President, Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, to represent him.

In another schedule, Dr Mwinyi, CCM’s presidential candidate, was set to hand over clove farm documents to farmers in Pemba on September 27.

Separately, ACT Wazalendo suspended all political activities in Bumbwini Constituency in response to the bereavement.

In a statement, the party’s Secretary for Ideology, Information, Publicity, Communication and Public Affairs, Mr Salim Bimani, said they were compelled to postpone their meetings to allow funeral arrangements to proceed.

“Out of respect, solidarity, and humanity, ACT Wazalendo has decided to suspend political activities in the area to allow the family, relatives, and the public to attend the funeral and pay their respects to the late Mr Abbas Mwinyi,” said Mr Bimani.

In a show of national solidarity with the family of the late Abbas Mwinyi, various leaders, led by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, visited the Bweleo family home in Mjini Magharibi B to offer condolences.

Among those who joined President Hassan were Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson, First Vice President Othman Masoud Othman, and Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla.

Others included Speaker of the Zanzibar House of Representatives Zuberi Ali Maulid, CCM National Secretary-General, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, CCM running mate, Dr Emanuel Nchimbi, CCM Vice Chairman (Mainland), Stephen Wasira, and various other leaders.