Tanzanian President Samia's husband dies in hospital

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan's husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan, passed away while being treated at a hospital in Zanzibar. Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi confirmed the news, stating that Ameir had been battling a heart condition. The burial took place at his family's home in Kizimkazi, a village on Zanzibar's semi-autonomous island, on Monday evening.

Ameir, an agricultural academic, had largely remained out of the public eye. He became Tanzania's first First Gentleman following his wife's election as president in 2021. Vice-President Ndejembi conveyed his condolences to the Hassan family, Samia, Ameir's relatives, and friends. Kenyan President William Ruto expressed deep sorrow over the loss on social media.

Zambian and Burundian leaders also paid their respects and offered their condolences. The First Gentleman, who rarely appeared alongside Samia in public, married her in 1978 and they had four children together. Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is also a politician and currently serves in Zanzibar's House of Representatives. The crowd reportedly chanted that someone had stolen someone else's genitals in a false rumor spread on social media, highlighting the volatile nature of East Africa's digital landscape. Tanzania grapples with maintaining its image of stability amidst such incidents.