George Williams, 1st March 2024
The former Tanzanian President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi has passed away on Thursday evening, February 29, 2024, at the age of 98.
The Tanzanian presidency announced that he was hospitalized on Friday, February 2, 2024, after suffering from chest illness. He, however, succumbed to lunger cancer at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.
His family had said that Mwinyi was receiving treatment for a chest illness and was under the care of doctors.
At the time of his illness, a statement from his family shared by Deputy Director of Presidential Communication State House Zanzibar, Mohamed Hashim early February, stated that Mwinyi, who was 98 years old, was receiving treatment for a chest illness and was under the care of doctors. The family, however asked for privacy and prayers for the former head of State.
“With advice from his doctors, the family has decided that it is good that he gets privacy while receiving treatment. The family asks the public to pray for him,” the family spokesperson and son of the former leader Abdullah Mwinyi noted.
Mwinyi was the second President of Tanzania between 1985 and 1995. Commonly known as the father of the current Zanzibar, Mwinyi served as the third President of Zanzibar from January 30, 1984 to October 24, 1985, before succeeding Julius Nyerere as the President of the Republic of Tanzania on November 5, 1995.
Currently, Mwinyi’s son, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi is the ruling President of Zanzibar, in the Tanzanian archipelago. Mwinyi was also the Chairman of the ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from 1990 to 1996.
During his terms, Tanzania took the first steps to reverse the socialist policies of Julius Nyerere. He relaxed import restrictions and encouraged private enterprise. It was during Mwinyi’s second term that multi-party politics were introduced under pressure for reform from foreign and domestic sources. Often referred to as Mzee Rukhsa, a word that means “Everything goes,” Mwinyi pushed for liberalization of morals, beliefs, and values, without breaking the law and the economy.
He ruled for two consecutive terms from 1985 to 1995, and was succeeded by the late President Benjamin Mkapa. He also served as an Interior Minister and Vice President of Tanzania.
