Tanzania’s Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Augustine Mahiga passed away on Friday at the age of 74. The news was confirmed by the country’s President John Magufuli.
In a statement, Magufuli says the longtime diplomat collapsed in his house in Dodoma and was reported dead on arrival in hospital.
We join the country in mourning the loss of Balozi Augustine Mahiga.
Balozi Mahiga was a good friend of @UnitedNationsTZ & the entire @UN global family having served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in #Somalia @UNSomalia.
May he rest in peace ??#UNTZ pic.twitter.com/tpdASt0P8W
— United Nations TZ (@UnitedNationsTZ) May 1, 2020
Death of two Tanzania Members of Parliament
Mahiga’s death comes days after two Tanzanian lawmakers died within 10 days of each other.
Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly on Thursday suspended sessions after the death of Member of Parliament for Dodoma, Richard Ndassa.
Ndassa died after a short illness, according to the speaker.
However, he did not reveal the illness.
Earlier in April, another MP – Reverend Getrude Rwakare – died in Dar es Salaam.
#Tanzania loses another MP. Ruling party lawmaker, Richard Ndassa, passed away today, 9 days after demise of his cleric-cum-politician counterpart, Gertrude Rwakatare pic.twitter.com/BPU3IF3gys
— Evarist Chahali (@Chahali) April 29, 2020
COVID-19 cases in Tanzania
The deaths of the MPs come amid criticism over Tanzania’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Tanzania’s government released new coronavirus statistics on Wednesday, at least five days after it had gone silent. This as almost all African nations release daily reports on the latest tallies on infections, fatalities and recoveries.
“The government should not treat this pandemic as a secret,” Freeman Mbowe, head of the country’s biggest opposition party, CHADEMA, said in a televised address. “It (COVID-19) requires transparency, truth and participation to fight it.”
Magufuli has closed schools, but has left places of worship open, and in March encouraged citizens to pray the virus away.
Tanzania so far has 480 confirmed COVID-19 cases after 196 more people tested positive.
No lockdown measures have been put in place in the country so far. – Additional reporting by Reuters
Tanzania jumps to 3rd place in East Africa with 480 confirmed Covid-19 cases. pic.twitter.com/AJyE3A8Czj
— Kenyans.co.ke (@Kenyans) April 29, 2020
