AfricaPress-Tanzania: MEMBERS of Parliament on Friday endured a difficult moment after receiving news of the death of their fellow lawmaker, Atashasta Nditiye, of Muhambwe Constituency in Kigoma Region.
52-year-old Mr Nditiye died yesterday at 10am at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital where he was undergoing treatment after he was involved in an accident on Wednesday.
The accident occurred at Nanenane area in Dodoma. He was rushed to Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital and later transferred to Benjamin Mkapa Hospital for further treatment.
National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai suspended the parliamentary session until Saturday.
“According to section 173 of the Parliamentary Standing Orders, I’am suspending the Parliamentary session until tomorrow Saturday at 9.00am,” he said when he broke the news of Mr Nditiye’s death.
Mr Ndugai also called the Parliamentary Leadership Committee for an emergency meeting, asking the Members of Parliament to remain calm and that they would be updated on the deceased’s burial arrangements.
Some MPs described the departed fellow Mp as a composed, calm and ready-to-work-with person.
They said Mr Nditiye would be remembered for his kindness and commitment on bringing development.
Defence minister Elias Kwandikwa said the late Nditiye was a lovely and hard working person who dedicated his efforts in serving people from his constituency and the nation at large.
“I worked close to him when we were deputy ministers for Works, Transport and Communication where he was responsible for the communications portfolio. We used to share a lot of moments together,” he said.
“It is so sad that he has died just after serving the seat in a short period after being re-elected in last year’s general election,” added Mr Kwandikwa, the MP for Ushetu Constituency.
For his part, Katavi MP and former Minister for Works, Transport and Communications Isack Kamwelwe, who worked closely with Mr Nditiye, described him as a brave man who played a great role in the communications sector.
“He was such an amazing man for me to have worked with, throughout my tenure at the ministry I was so relaxed when it came to the issue of communications; he played his part,” Mr Kamwelwe said.
Bukene MP Selemani Zedi said he received the sad news with great shock as he was with the deceased last week in the Parliamentary Committee for Local Governments.
“He was such a great man and his experience and contributions were highly needed based on his engineering expertise. I’m shocked with what has happened,” he said.
Maswa East MP Stanslaus Nyongo said he was close to the deceased for a long time and that Mr Nditiye was so calm and a friend to everybody.
“He was my colleague and we used to joke now and then, I can’t believe that he has gone,” he said.
The late Mr Nditiye was among MPs who got the opportunity to debate the government’s proposed National Development Plan.
It was in the evening of Tuesday February 9 when the department MP spoke in the debating chamber calling for the collaborative efforts by the government and MPs to look for alternative sources for financing Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura).
He said there was no need to reduce the budget for Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) in favour of Tarura since the former has a great role to do in building and maintaining trunk and regional roads.
“We will be making a huge mistake by reducing the ratio of development budget for Tanroads, let it remain as it is; let’s go for alternative sources,” he said.
He urged government to impose a small additional charge on the internet bundles from telecommunication companies and the revenue generated be directed to Tarura.
Nditiye became the second MP of the 12th Parliament to pass on after Special Seats MP, Martha Umbulla, who died on January 21, this year at the HCG Hospital in Mumbai India, where she was receiving treatment.
The late Nditiye, who was born in October 17, 1969, joined Parliament in November 2015 after he was elected to represent Muhambwe Constituency defeating the former lawmaker, Felix Mkosamali.
In 2017, he was appointed Deputy Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, a post he served until October 2020.
During last year’s general election, Mr Nditiye managed to defend his legislative seat, and served until he was pronounced dead on Friday.
Meanwhile, former Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Bakari Mwapachu will be buried o Saturday at Pande Village in Tanga District.
The former minister died on Friday morning at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) where he was receiving treatment.
His body was transported on Friday to Tanga and was expected to be kept at his home in Mchukuuni Tangasisi ward.
Mwapachu served as Tanga MP from 2000 to 2010 when the late Omar Nundu took over leadership of the constituency.
The late Mwapachu served various leadership positions in the government at different times.
