Hafidh Ameir Hassan, husband of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has d!ed.
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He passed away on Monday, September 9, while receiving treatment at a hospital in Zanzibar, according to Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi.
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Ndejembi said Ameir had been battling a heart condition and died at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) at the Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital. He added that funeral arrangements are under way in Kizimkazi, a village on Zanzibar, Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island.
Ameir, an agricultural academic, largely maintained a low public profile throughout his wife’s political career. He became Tanzania’s first-ever First Gentleman when President Samia assumed office in 2021.
He married Samia in 1978, prior to her entry into national politics. The couple had four children — three sons and a daughter. Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is herself a politician, currently serving in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives within the National Assembly.
Tributes have poured in from regional leaders. Kenyan President William Ruto expressed condolences on behalf of his government and citizens, stating that President Samia had lost a lifelong companion, her children a beloved father, and Tanzania a distinguished son.
Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye also extended condolences to President Hassan and the people of Tanzania.
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