AfricaPress-Tanzania: MEMBERS of the Zanzibar House of Representatives were on Wednesday gripped in a sombre mood after the House Speaker Zubeir Ali Maulid announced that Abubakar Khamis Bakar, who had won Pandani constituency in Pemba Island on ACT-Wazalendo, has died.
The speaker announced that the late Bakar, 69, passed away on Tuesday night and asked members to observe one-minute silence for the deceased, who was laid to rest on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the speaker Maulid, the late Abubakar had not taken an oath as legislator for Pandani constituency, but was expected to do so in the near future.
“We send our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and the people of Pandani constituency,” he said.
President Hussein Mwinyi also mourned the late Bakar, recalling that he had played a big role in the development of Zanzibar, including the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which aimed to defuse political tension and disputes.
The deceased who was legislator for Mgogoni in Pemba, before its name was changed to Pandani, held several positions in the government including being the Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs (2010- 2015) under the government of national unity.
The late Bakar, who graduated as a lawyer from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1975 and Master Degree in 1992 is remembered to have been the first Clerk of the Zanzibar House of Representatives in 1980, before he was appointed Attorney General (AG) in 1984-1988.
He then became Deputy Chief Justice in 1989-1990.
