RH R (DICK) CLIFFORD who died in June served for many years with the Tanganyika Government and was in charge of security in the then Chief Secretary’s office at the time of independence.

MZEE SAADAN KANDORO (76) one of the founding members of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) and a renowned poet whose writings are widely used in schools, died on July 10. Only six of TANU’s founding members now survive -Daily News.

A former Management Consultant and later Minister for Labour and Youth and MP for Bukoba Rural, SEBASTIAN RUKIZA KINYONDO (57) died from high blood pressure on August 14. He was taken ill at the Parliament building in Dodoma, flown to Muhimbili Hospital in Dar es Salaam and then to the Intensive Care Unit at Nairobi Hospital but died before the consultant could see him.

Tanzanians were shocked when President Mkapa announced the sudden death of Vice-president Dr. OMAR ALl JUMA on July 6. Hours before his death, the 60-year-old leader, who had a history of heart problems, was seen in public bidding farewell at Dar es Salaam airport to Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila at the end of his state visit. He had also spent several hours in the afternoon at the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair. Thousands of grief-stricken Tanzanians led by President Mkapa and members of the diplomatic corps took part in the sombre funeral ceremony in Pemba conducted on July 15 in accordance with Islamic traditions and with full military honours. After condolences, Wawi residents carried the body to the Mosque and later to the burial site about 200 metres from his home where the army, led by a brass band, took over. Other leaders present included Zanzibar President Amani Karume, Zanzibar Chief Minister, Shamsi Nahodha, former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former Zanzibar President Salmin Amour. Chief Justice Barnabas Samatta, Chief of the Defence Forces, George Waitara, and opposition leaders including CHADEMA leader Bob Makani, NCCR-Mageuzi Chairman James Mbatia, TLP Chairman Augustine Mrema, Civic United Front (CUF) Chairman Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba and Secretary General, Seif Shariff Hamad and a UDP representative.

At his burial President Mkapa was quoted in the Guardian as calling upon Tanzanians to inculcate love among each other irrespective of differences in political affiliations and religious beliefs, saying that that was what the late Vice President had stood for. “And when we differ, we should still be able to crack jokes, laugh, work together to build our country… ” appealed the President. The President praised the co-operation shown by religious and political leaders during the funeral arrangement and service saying that was a true image of Tanzanians. The Institute of Production Innovation (IPI) of the University of Dar es Salaam had earlier expressed its sorrow after losing one of its principal partners in technological development, the environment and poverty alleviation issues. Dr Omar used to invite 15 to 20 sheikhs to his house each month to pray for peace and unity, resolved many quarrels between Muslim factions and, as one Sheikh put it: “He did not use his position to enrich himself”.

ROBERT (ROBIN) C H RISLEY (84) who died on June 28, was in the administration in Tanganyika from 1940 to 1965 and spent his last years there as Deputy Commissioner for Cooperative Development when the cooperative movement was expanding rapidly. He did much to help in the development of cricket in Tanzania.

BRIAN J J STUBBINGS (85) who died on July 8 was in the administrative service in Tanganyika from 1939 and was the last British Provincial Commissioner in Arusha. In his final years he held a senior position in the Tanzania Sisal Growers Association. (Thank you Randal Sadleir and Nigel Durdant­Hollamby for providing this information -Editor).

SIR ROGER SWYNNERTON CMG, OBE, MC (89), who died on December 30 2000 was President of the Tropical Agricultural Association from 1983 to 1989. He worked in agriculture in Tanganyika from 1934 to 1939 and again from 1945 to 1951 before moving to Kenya where he gave his name to the famous Swynnerton Agricultural Development Plan.