Tanzania’s Former PM, Edward Lowassa Dies in Dar-es-Salaam

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  • Former PM Lowassa died at a local hospital on Saturday, February 1o, 2024.

Former Tanzania Prime Minister Edward Losawa has passed away while undergoing treatment at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in Dar es Salaam. In a press briefing shared on national television, TBC, Tanzania Vice President Dr. Philip Mpango said the former PM had been hospitalized and succumbed on February 10, 2024, at around 2:00 P.M. East African Time. Speaking on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Dr. Mpango said the former PM’s cause of death was stomach issues, lung-related problems, and hypertension.

“The late Edward Lowassa has been ailing for a long time and had been receiving treatment since January 14, 2022 at the JKCI and was later taken to South Africa for further treatment, but was later brought back to the JKCI.”

Dr. Mpango also shared the president’s condolence message, saying that President Samia is condoling with all family, friends, and relatives of the late prime minister.

Further, the president has announced a five-day mourning period starting today, February 10, 2024 where flags will be fly at half-mast across the nation.

Lowasa, who was 70 at the time of his death, was Tanzania’s Prime Minister from 2005 to 2008 under President Jakaya Kikwete. He was the first Prime Minister to be forced to resign due to allegations of corruption. Though he was a long-term member of the ruling party, CCM, in 2015, he vied for presidency as an opposition candidate against John Pombe Magufuli of CCM after losing in the CCM nominations.

Lowasa was born at Ngarash village, Monduli District in the Arusha Region of Tanzania on August 26, 1953, and was the fourth child of Ngoyai Lowassa, who was a government employee during colonial times. He has extensive experience in parliamentary and government affairs, having previously served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office during President Ali Hassan Mwinyi’s second term.

The late Lowassa schooled at Monduli Primary School from 1961 to 1967, and later joined Arusha Secondary School from 1968 to 1971 for his O-level education. He would later join Milambo Secondary in Tabora Region where he took his A-level education between 1972 to 1973. He studied for his Bachelor of Education (Arts) at Dar-es-Salaam University between 1974 and 1977. Between 1983 to 1984, he studied for a Master of Science degree at the University of Bath, in England.

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