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Obituary

Benjamin Mkapa

passes on

enjamin Mkapa, the third president Tanzania but to the whole region.
Bof Tanzania and the leader of the The embassy statement added that
country during a crucial period of Mkapa’s efforts to reform the economy,
democratic transition, died on 24, July fight corruption, and reduce the spread
at a hospital in the port city of Dar es of HIV will make a positive impact on The late Benjamin Mkapa, former
Salaam. He was 81. president of Tanzania.
Tanzania for generations to come.
Mr. Mkapa was the president of During his term in office, Mkapa
Tanzania from November 1995 to
December 2005. He was the first privatized state-owned corporations
and instituted free-market policies
president elected after the return of major in English language at Makerere
multiparty democracy in 1992. During which won the support of the World University in Uganda in 1962. He also
Bank and International Monetary Fund
his tenure, he played a central role in attended Columbia University in New
helping the country transition from and resulted in the cancellation of some York and received a master’s degree in
of Tanzania’s foreign debt.
a socialist system of development — international affairs there in 1963.
popularly known as ujamaa — into He also chaired various peace resolution Mr. Mkapa is survived by his wife, Anna
a free-market economy. Mkapa was meetings and led the East Africa Mkapa, and two children.
elected as president based on a popular Community dialogue committee that
anti-corruption campaign and the sought to find a solution to the political Upon leaving office, Mr. Mkapa joined
strong support of former president instability in Burundi. global organizations responding to
Julius Nyerere. Before becoming president, Mr. political, economic and social crises.
He participated in a United Nations
Mkapa is responsible for overhauling Mkapa worked in various capacities in panel on trade and development and
the largely ineffective socialist system government for almost three decades. was the chairman of a team sent by
in the country, privatizing state-owned In the 1970s, he was employed as the Ban Ki-moon, then the U.N. secretary
corporations and widened the county’s presidential information officer for general, to monitor a 2010 referendum
tax collection base. This is besides Julius Nyerere, the founding father of on independence for South Sudan. He
securing international debt relief and modern Tanzania. was on the board of the International
helping incentivize the growth of the Mr. Mkapa later became a lawmaker, Crisis Group,
private sector. and he served in cabinet positions Mr. Mkapa also set up a foundation
“We recognize that the government including minister of foreign affairs, in his name working closely with
has no business on the eve of the 21st minister of information and culture, the Clinton Foundation to improve
century to be in business,” he once said. and minister of science, technology maternal health and child care
and higher education. He also served
“By withdrawing from direct services, and to prevent the spread of
production activities, the government as ambassador to countries including H.I.V. and AIDS in Tanzania. He was
Canada, India, Nigeria and the United
will have more resources with which a key member of the panel of African
to strengthen essential social services, States. Eminent Persons, Chaired by the
economic infrastructure, human capital Earlier in his career, Mr. Mkapa late, former UN Secretary General,
development and performance of the was a prominent journalist. He was Kofi Annan that mediated peace in
traditional roles of state in particular the executive editor of the English- neighbouring Kenya, during post
the maintenance of law and order,” he language newspaper The Daily News elections violence in 2007-2008.
added. and, in 1976, the founding editor of the Mkapa had most recently attempted
Tanzania News Agency.
A statement from the United States to mediate between Burundi’s
Embassy in Tanzania, posted on Twitter, Benjamin William Mkapa was born on government and opposition groups
said, “The embassy is deeply saddened Nov. 12, 1938, in the town of Masasi, in after a disputed 2015 election plunged
by the passing of Mkapa.”Adding that, as the Mtwara region of southern Tanzania. the country into crisis, however the
president, he worked tirelessly to bring After attending schools in Tanzania government repeatedly refused to take
greater peace and prosperity not only to from 1945 to 1956, he completed a part and the talks went nowhere.

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