Tanzania’s third President, Benjamin William Mkapa, has passed on in Dar es Salaam.
President Pombe Magufuli confirmed the death a few minutes after midnight via a live televised broadcast.
The late President was admitted at Dar es Salaam Hospital where he was receiving treatment.
He was born in 1938 in Ndanda, near Masasi in Mtwara region.
He graduated from Makerere University in Uganda in 1962 with a degree in English.
He also attended Columbia University in 1963 and was awarded a master’s degree in international affairs.
Previous posts include being an administrative officer in Dodoma and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education.
He also was Tanzania’s ambassador to Canada in the year 1982 and to the United States Of America from 1983 to 1984.
The late Mkapa was also the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1990.
In 1995, Mkapa, a CCM candidate, was elected as President based on a popular anti-corruption campaign and the strong support of former President Julius Nyerere.
“Nimesikitishwa na kifo cha Mzee wetu Benjamin Mkapa (Rais Mstaafu wa Awamu ya 3), nitamkumbuka kwa mapenzi yake makubwa kwa Taifa, ucha Mungu,uchapakazi katika kujenga uchumi, hakika Taifa limepoteza nguzo imara, Mungu aiweke roho yake mahali pema peponi, Amina”.RAIS JPM pic.twitter.com/Ee6PKkAi7d
— afmradiotz (@AFM_KuwaTofauti) July 23, 2020