The death of former Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Governor, Prof Benno Ndulu, brings the total number of prominent Tanzanians who have died over the past three weeks to 10.
Prof Ndulu died at dawn Monday while recieving treatment at the Hubert Kairuki Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
Details about the cause of his death were scanty but close relatives say he had been unwell for weeks before he was admitted 10 days ago.
Prof Ndulu’s death came just two days after Tanzania lost its former Finance and Planning permanent secretary, Dr Servacius Likwelile.
The two had some issues in common. Apart from their economics background, while Dr Likwelile once served as Treasury PS, Prof Ndulu served as BoT Governor for 10 years from 2008.
At the time of his death, Dr Likwelile was an economics don at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
Before the passing on of Dr Likwelile, Tanzanians were already in mourning because just last week, the country lost its Chief Secretary, Ambassador John Kijazi.
Ambassador Kijazi passed away in Dodoma at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital and was buried at his ancestral home in Korogwe District, Tanga Region.
Zanzibar’s Seif Hamad
But that seemed to be just a continuation of the grief that had engulfed the country since the start of February. On February 17, the nation woke up to the sad news of the death of Zanzibar’s First Vice President and national chairman of the opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, Seif Sharif Hamad, 77.
He died at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) where he had been admitted from February 9.
The cause of Mr Hamad’s death was not immediately established but on January 31 he was reportedly hospitalised at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar after allegedly testing positive for Covid-19.
Two days before the death of Mr Hamad, the country lost Dr Muhammed Seif Khatib, a politician who held several ministerial positions during the administrations of former President Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete.
Dr Khatib, who died on Monday in Unguja, was laid to rest on February 16 at Mpendae in Unguja.
Between the year 2000 and 2002, Dr Khatib served as Minister of Home Affairs when Benjamin Mkapa was President.
He later served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Information, but in 2006, former President Kikwete picked Dr Khatib to be the Minister of Information, Culture and Sports. Subsequently, he was named Minister in the Vice-President’s Office for Union Affairs on February 12, 2008.
Ex-minister Nditiye
The death of Dr Khatibu was followed by that of Mohambwe constituency lawmaker and former Deputy Minister for Works, Transport and Communication Mr Atashasta Nditiye.
Mr Nditiye died on February 12, 2021 at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital in Dodoma.
On the same day at the MNH in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania lost the man who once occupied the position of minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Bakari Mwampachu.
He was laid to rest on February 13 at Pande Village, Tanga District.
On February 4, an erudite of Ruaha Catholic University (Ruco), Prof Gaudence Mpangala, was reported dead after a short illness. Prof Mpangala was an analyst on various issues, especially political matters.
Earlier this month, Tanzania also lost a learned couple who were lecturers at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Prof Delphina Mamiro and Dr Peter Mamiro.
