Hafidh Ameir Hassan, husband of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the country’s first First Gentleman, has died at the age of 59.
Hafidh died at about 8am local time on Monday at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar, where he was receiving treatment for a heart condition, Tanzania’s Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi announced.
Ndejembi, while announcing the death, conveyed condolences to President Samia, Hafidh’s family and friends, and paid tribute to the late academic.
Funeral arrangements were subsequently announced to be underway in Kizimkazi, a village on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar.
Hafidh, an agricultural academic, largely stayed away from the political spotlight despite his wife’s rise to the presidency in 2021, when he became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman.
He was only occasionally seen alongside President Samia at official functions, maintaining a notably low public profile throughout her presidency.
Hafidh married Samia in 1978, years before she entered national politics, and the couple had four children — three sons and a daughter.
Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is a politician and currently serves in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
Reacting to the death, Kenyan President William Ruto said he received the news with “deep sorrow”, describing Hafidh as a lifelong companion to President Samia and a beloved father to their children.
“President Samia has lost a lifelong companion, her children a beloved father, and Tanzania a distinguished son,” Ruto said in a social media post.
Hafidh’s death comes as Tanzania mourns a figure who, despite being married to the country’s president, largely remained outside the political spotlight and public life.
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