AfricaPress-Tanzania: SPEAKER Job Ndugai on Saturday led Members of the Parliament and some mourners in paying last respects to Muhambwe MP Atashasta Nditiye, who died on Friday.
Speaking during a prayer service for him held at National Assembly premises, Speaker Ndugai said his body would be flown to Kigoma the following day afternoon for funeral arrangements in Kibondo District.
Mr Ndugai described Nditiye as calm, kind and respectful to everyone and was loyal to his country.
“We received the news that he was involved in an accident with a great shock and we tried our best to rush him to the best hospital in Dodoma, but the Lord loved him,” said the Speaker.
He added that earlier in this year he received a message from Nditiye, saying he had two prayer sessions from the life of Speaker of the House.
“He wrote me a message early this year that he has been praying for my health and I didn’t know it was his goodbye message to me,” he explained.
In his message, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said the country had lost a lovely person who was loyal and humble to everyone.
“He worked diligently for the communications sector when he was Deputy Minister for Works, Transport and Communications. He worked well in and outside Parliament,” said the Premier, noting that President John Magufuli and Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan had been also saddened by the demise of Nditiye.
He said the government would cherish and work on the contribution of the former Muhambwe legislator, asking MPs to follow his footsteps.
For his part, CCM Secretary-General, Dr Bashiru Ally, described Nditiye as an honest and hardworking person.
Nditiye passed away at the age of 52, as he was receiving treatment at Benjamin Mkapa Referral Hospital, where he was admitted since Wednesday.
