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Former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi Dies at 98

© Flickr / Apollo TemuFormer President of Tanzania Alhaj Ali Hassan Mwinyi
Former President of Tanzania Alhaj Ali Hassan Mwinyi - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 01.03.2024
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During his tenure as the second President of Tanzania, Ali Hassan Mwinyi played a significant role in the transition to a multiparty democracy and the liberalization of the economy in Tanzania.
Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the former president of Tanzania who led the country for a decade, has died at the age of 98, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced on national television TBC1.
His death, caused by lung cancer, occurred in Dar es Salaam, where he was receiving medical care for several weeks.
Tanzania will observe seven days of national mourning and Mwinyi will be buried in Zanzibar on March 2.
Born on May 8, 1925, in Kivure, on the island of Zanzibar, Mwinyi began his career as a teacher and later served in various government positions, including as Tanzania's ambassador to Egypt. He also headed the Ministries of Health, Natural Resources, and Home Affairs.
Known for his integrity, Mwinyi resigned as Minister of Home Affairs in 1977 following a scandal involving the abuse and deaths of suspects during a police operation targeting communities where accusations of witchcraft had led to deaths. In his resignation letter, he stated that although he had not directly participated in these crimes or given orders for them to be carried out, he could not escape accountability as a cabinet minister.
Opposition presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, who heads the four main opposition parties, speaks at his closing campaign rally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 10.02.2024
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After his resignation, Mwinyi's political career was revived, leading to his appointment as President of Zanzibar and later as Vice President of Tanzania. Upon the retirement of Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere, Mwinyi assumed the presidency.
Taking office in 1985 after the departure of Nyerere, Mwinyi initiated reforms that loosened state control, encouraged private investment, and allowed more freedom in the country's media.
Under Mwinyi's leadership, Tanzania moved to a multiparty system in 1992, and he voluntarily stepped down from the presidency three years later, establishing a tradition of respect for term limits among Tanzanian leaders.
After leaving office, he resided in Dar es Salaam and kept a low public profile. Mwinyi had two wives and several children, including Hussein Mwinyi, the current president of Zanzibar.
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