Stephano Mgendanyi
JF-Expert Member
- May 16, 2020
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A Library Burned to the Ground! - Mpembenwe (Kibiti MP)
His excellence, Hon. Ali Hassani Mwinyi (99), retired second regime, President of the United Republic of Tanzania peacefully passed away on February 29th, 2024, with his affectionate family by his bedside. His parting completely left grieved widows, fatherless children and grandchildren celebrating a humbled life history! Contemplation of his amazing life story, delayed my condolence massage!
Born in 1925 at Mkuranga District of Pwani region of Tanzania, His Excellence, President Ali Hassan Mwinyi lived his rambunctious young life with his relatives along with many neighboring friends. Elder Mwinyi’s Life history we now celebrate, reveals that in his teenager years was moved to Zanzibar to pursue Islamic religion education, but ended becoming a teacher, successful leader and a great politician worth of the tittle!
I encountered his Excellence President Ali Hassani Mwinyi after his retirement when he occasionally visited his birthplace district of Mkuranga, where my late father Mr. Mpembenwe resided, the two used to meet occasionally. My reasoning from their conversation revealed that, my father reaped Mzee Mwinyi’s wisdom. Despite of his intelligence, Elder Mwinyi had a strongly humble willpower personality, with an enormous heart and wonderful sense of humor. He was generous, loyal, and brave. He was clever and full to the brim with knowledge gained through all of his life experiences; a teacher, administrator, Politician, Minister, President of Zanzibar and President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi will be remembered for many exceptional leadership accomplishments of his life time. Tanzanians mourn his demise, yet celebrate successful economic, social and political reformation milestones he left us. He initiated fruitful sectoral wide reforms aimed at poverty reduction, Political Pluralism reforms resulting into multipart democracy of 1990’s. Elder Mwinyi, unpretentiously you strengthened freedom and confidence to people of Tanzania that we happily called you “Mzee Ruksa” an affirmation to your unforgettable reformation initiatives. Farewell President Mwinyi.
Eternally resting, His excellence Hon. Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, your humble philosophical precepts overflowing our hearts will always remind of your humility to every humankind. This reminds me a visit to Kibiti Constituency at Rualuke village for mosque inauguration ceremony following the late Sheikh Kwakwala’s invitation on October 30th, 1992 when I was 21 years of age! Throughout your life, you showed and accepted that individual Presidential Regimes authored a book of its own, in Swahili “Kila Zama na Kitabu Chake!!.
Elder Mwinyi lived to read six books of presidential terms from that of His Excellence Mwl. J.K. Nyerere, initiating third, fourth, fifth and gone after strengthening the sixth of Her Excellence Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan. Surely, he authored a book of his Presidential term in ten years since 1995 with a theme of Economic Reform and Development, after editing for 29 years of retirement, on February 29th, 2024 was shelved for our reading. Good-bye elder Mwinyi!
When addressing the Nation in grief-stricken tone at Amani complex in Zanzibar, Madame President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, described Elder Mwinyi as a “Burned Down Library”, claiming that in her bid for county’s leadership, she had been reaping Mzee Mwinyi’s wisdom and walk in his footsteps.
Mzee Ali Hassan Mwinyi, when his tribulation time came, he carried himself with dignity, strength, and full of love for those who went before him. He unexpectedly instilled a political desire to calm down at times of distress!
The Nation in a mournful tone, wishes Mzee Mwinyi a Peaceful Rest in Eternity you will be missed dearly!!
A giant has fallen!
Sincerely,
Mpembenwe. (Kibiti MP)
Innalilah Wainna illah Rajiun!
