Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is mourning the death of her husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan, who passed away on Monday while receiving treatment at a hospital in Zanzibar.
The death of Tanzania’s First Gentleman was announced officially by Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi, who said Ameir died at about 8am local time at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar.
According to the Vice-President, the president’s husband had been battling a heart condition before his death. Funeral arrangements were subsequently being made in Kizimkazi, a village in Zanzibar, where preparations were underway to receive his remains.
Ameir largely maintained a private life despite his wife’s rise through Tanzania’s political system. An agricultural academic, he generally avoided the public spotlight and made relatively few appearances alongside President Samia at official functions.
His position as Tanzania’s First Gentleman began in March 2021, when Samia assumed the presidency following the death of then-President John Magufuli. He consequently became the country’s first male spouse of a serving president.
The couple’s relationship began long before Samia entered national politics. They married in 1978 and built their family together before her eventual emergence as one of Tanzania’s most prominent political figures.
Their marriage produced four children, comprising three sons and one daughter. Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, has followed a political path of her own and serves as a member of Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
News of Ameir’s death prompted condolences from leaders across the region, including Kenyan President William Ruto, who expressed sympathy to President Samia and her family.
Ruto said he received the news with “deep sorrow” and described Ameir’s death as a major personal loss for the Tanzanian president, her children and the wider country.
“President Samia has lost a lifelong companion, her children a beloved father, and Tanzania a distinguished son,” the Kenyan president said in a message posted on X.
Ruto also extended Kenya’s solidarity to Tanzania during the period of mourning, saying the country stood with Tanzanians and the bereaved family.
“Kenya stands with our Tanzanian brothers and sisters in this moment of grief,” he said.
The Kenyan president concluded his message with a prayer for the family, asking God to provide President Samia and her children with strength and comfort as they come to terms with the loss.
“May Almighty God comfort President Samia and her family, give them strength through this difficult time, and grant Hafidh Ameir Hassan eternal rest,” Ruto said.
The African Union also joined the regional expressions of sympathy following the announcement. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf conveyed condolences to President Samia, her family and the people of Tanzania in a statement published on the AU website on Monday, September 7.
Youssouf described Ameir’s death as a loss to the president’s family and the Tanzanian people, while expressing sympathy to those mourning his passing.
“The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, conveys his deepest condolences to H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, her family, and the people of Tanzania on the passing of her husband, H.E. Hafidh Ameir Hassan,” the AU statement said.
The statement added that the AU Commission chairperson extended his “profound sympathy” to President Samia and her family and wished them strength, courage and solace during the difficult period.
Youssouf also offered prayers for the peaceful repose of the deceased.
“He prays for the peaceful repose of the departed soul. Inalilahi wainailehi rajiun,” the statement concluded.
Ameir’s death brings to an end the life of a figure who remained largely outside the political spotlight even as his wife rose to become Tanzania’s president. His low-key public profile contrasted with the increasingly prominent position of the family within Tanzania’s political landscape.
For President Samia, the loss is both personal and significant, coming after decades of marriage to a husband who had been with her since before her entry into national politics. Their 1978 marriage preceded the political career that eventually took her to the country’s highest office.
As funeral preparations continue in Kizimkazi, condolences from Tanzania’s neighbours and continental institutions have underscored the regional attention surrounding the death of the First Gentleman.
President Samia and her family are now expected to observe a period of mourning as Tanzania prepares to bid farewell to Hafidh Ameir Hassan, whose death was attributed by the Vice-President to a heart condition after treatment in Zanzibar.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan Loses Husband Hafidh Ameir Hassan
