AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT John Magufuli on Friday will lead Tanzanians to pay their last respects to the late Chief Secretary Engineer John Kijazi at Karimjee grounds in Dar es Salaam.
State House Permanent Secretary, Dr Moses Kusiluka on Thursdayy issued the programme, while paying tribute to Eng Kijazi after a requiem mass held at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) in Dodoma.
“A requiem mass will be held today at Karimjee grounds, we expect that the burial ceremony will be tomorrow in Korogwe district, Tanga region,” he said.
Dr Kusiluka described Eng Kijazi as a great example to other leaders and offered a condolences message to the bereaved family on behalf of Permanent Secretaries.
The Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Joyce Ndalichako led other government officials and Dodoma residents to pay their last respects to Eng Kijazi, who died on Wednesday night at the age of 64 after a short illness.
Others who attended were University of Dodoma (UDOM) Council Chairperson, Ms Gaudensia Kabaka and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Prof Elisante Ole Gabriel.
Leading the mass, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dodoma, Parish Priest Joby Thyaril said whenever people face various tragedies; it is also a perfect time to examine their lives.
“It is crucial to ask ourselves how well prepared are we for our final journey on planet earth, we all do not know the day or the hour when we’ll die… the most important thing is to prepare ourselves,” he said.
He added, “We’re troubled by various worldly things but let us ask ourselves the day we are asked by God what we have in hand, we should be ready to answer. We are certain that we will all die but we don’t know when.”
The Priest added that Eng. Kijazi’s death has to remind Tanzanians of his life, his love and his devotion to the nation.
“Let us continue to pray for his family and his soul to rest in peace,” prayed the Priest.
Eng Kijazi passed on at 21:10hrs on Wednesday, while receiving treatment at BMH in the capital city of Dodoma. He is survived by a widow and three children.
UDOM, Vice-Chancellor Prof Faustine Bee said they received news on the sudden death of the late Ambassador Eng Kijazi with great sadness, as he was appointed in August 2020 as Chancellor and was officially sworn in on 17 December 2020.
“He intended to visit every college to talk to staff and see how we offer educational services here at UDOM and he had a plan to tour the university this March,” he said.
Prof Bee described the late Kijazi as a good listener, mentor and one who he wished could continue to be the Chancellor of UDOM for the unforeseeable future so as to steer the institution to greater heights.
He added that the late diplomat longed to see the various challenges identified are dealt with.
“It is a huge gap for us and the nation… it is a great blow to us for the loss of our two leaders in a row. We will continue to commemorate him based on what he has advised us in the short term he spent with us,” he said.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Binilith Mahenge also eulogized the fallen Chief Secretary, Eng Kijazi.
“The death of Amb Kijazi is a huge blow to the nation but for Dodoma, he touched us deeply, I am offering my condolences to President Magufuli as the late Kijazi was his right-hand man in implementing various development activities,” RC Mahenge said.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Dr Hassan Abbasi, paid growing tributes to Eng Kijazi, describing him as a crucial leader and for the most part, has pushed for reforms in the public service.
Tributes have been pouring in from various High Commissioners and prominent people, following the sudden demise of Ambassador Kijazi.
“Today Tanzania mourns the loss of another great public servant Chief Secretary and veteran diplomat Eng Kijazi, my condolences to his family and the nation,” United Kingdom High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mr David Concar said via his twitter account.
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Dar es Salaam also conveyed sincere condolences and prayers to the immediate family of Amb Kijazi, the government of Tanzania and its people.
Turkish Embassy in Tanzania also sent a message of condolences to the government and the family of the late Kijazi.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Ambassador Kijazi, who dedicated his life to the service of Tanzanians at home and abroad for 39 years, our condolences to President Magufuli, the government of Tanzania, his family and the people of Tanzania,” High Commission of Canada to Tanzania said in condolences message.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Thursday evening led other government officials to receive the body of the late Amb Kijazi at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam ahead of today’s state funeral.
