AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS the East African people continue to mourn former president Benjamin Willian Mkapa, President Ali Mohamed Shein has issued a renewed statement of praise to the late statesman, saying he was an innovative leader.
“I was the union Vice President, assisting him. He was a great leader with visions,” Dr Shein praised his former boss, “It is with utmost sadness that Mkapa has left us so early at a time when we still need him.”
In a statement from the Zanzibar State House, Shein mentioned that Mkapa’s contribution to the development of our nation and the East African region will never be forgotten, and prayed that his soul should rest in eternal peace.
Some of the achievements under the deceased’s regime include the establishment of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), settling of foreign debt before donors announced debt relief to Tanzania, and pushing the economy growth from 3.6 per cent to 6.7 per cent.
He is also the founder of National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA), Property and Business Formalisation Programme in Tanzania (MKURABITA), Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA), and Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau-PCCB (TAKUKURU).
Meanwhile, Isles former president, Dr Salmin Amour Juma joined residents here to continue mourning the late Mkapa, “The late Mkapa was my personal friend, a great leader who led his people to peace and security,” he said.
Mr Salmin said he was Zanzibar’s President and Union Vice President at that time (under Mkapa’s tenure) before the constitutional changes.
Mr Sultan Mohamed Mugheiry- former Health Minister under President Dr Amani Karume regime said “Goodbye to our beloved Mkapa, rest in peace! I was among the delegates who accompanied the late Mkapa to Kenya in 2005 to bid farewell to Kenyans because he was retiring after serving Tanzanians for ten years.”
Mugheiry said that Mkapa will be remembered for being a ‘friend to everyone’, and that the former president was committed to see that the country, including Zanzibar, records admirable development in all aspects, including social, economic and political.
Ambassador Ali Abeid Karume, the current Minister for Youth, Culture, and Sports said “Mzee Mkapa was a man of the people. I remember he could support any development plan, and he appointed me ambassador to Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux) and the European Union (E.U) where I served from 1996– 2002,” he said.
