Raila, Ruto Mourn Tanzania’s Ex-President Mwinyi

President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga have expressed their condolences to Tanzania following the passing of Tanzania’s second president, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who died on Thursday aged 98.

President Ruto praised Mwinyi as a “great leader whose rich legacy will never fade,” extending his sympathies to President Samia Suluhu and the people of Tanzania. “Rest In Peace, Mzee Mwinyi,” he added.

Raila Odinga described Mwinyi as a “truly great African leader and statesman,” expressing condolences to President Suluhu on behalf of himself and his wife, Ida Odinga.

Former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi is credited with ushering the East African nation into free market economics, has died at age 98, current President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Thursday in a television broadcast.

Mwinyi succeeded Tanzania’s first post-independence president, Julius Nyerere, who left office in 1985 after 22 years in power.

Mwinyi joined the Afro-Shiraz Party (ASP) in 1964 and held different positions for the Government of Zanzibar and the United Republic of Tanzania.

In 1970 he was appointed Minister of State in the President’s Office of the United Republic of Tanzania and between 1982-83 he was Minister of Health, Home Affairs, Natural Resources and Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania in Egypt from 1977 to 1982

In 1983 he was appointed Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office and in 1984 he was elected the President of Zanzibar and Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

“On behalf of the government, I would like to convey my condolences to the family, relatives, friends and all Tanzanians for this loss,” President Hassan said.

Mwinyi was credited with introducing free market policies and was in turn succeeded by the late Benjamin Mkapa in 1995.

President Hassan said Mwinyi died in a hospital in Dar es Salaam where he was receiving treatment for lung cancer, where he had been receiving treatment since November 2023.

To honour Mwinyi’s life and contributions, President Suluhu announced seven days of mourning. The national flag will be flown at half-mast, starting Friday during this period.