Former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa Dies Age 81

Former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa dies at age 81 in Dar es Salaam hospital, the Tanzanian President John Magufuli announced his Mkapa’s passing today Friday 24th, July 2020.  Benjamin Mkapa

Benjamin Mkapa was the country’s 3rd president after Tanzania gained its independence from Britain in 1962, he was president from 1995-2005.

President John Magufuli announced Mkapa’s death in a short televised speech;

“I’m saddened by the death of the third president of Tanzania and that is a big loss for us as a country. Let’s pray for him and more information will follow later,” he said

The cause of his death is yet to be revealed.

Mkapa was born in 1938 to a poor family in south-eastern Mtwara. He earned a degree in English in Uganda and later worked as a journalist before being appointed the press secretary for the country’s first president Julius Nyerere. He held several cabinet posts, such as foreign minister and information minister and also served as ambassador to the United States before he was elected president.

Tanzania will hold a period of seven days of mourning, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast.

Photo Credit: Getty

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