Tanzania is mourning the death of Mzee Hafidh Ameir, the husband of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who passed away on Monday, September 7, 2026, at the age of 68.
According to Tanzania’s Vice President, Deogratius Ndejembi, Mzee Hafidh died at around 8:00 a.m. after receiving treatment for a heart condition at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar.
Hafidh Ameir was a respected agricultural expert and academic who spent much of his professional career working in agriculture and rural development in Zanzibar. He married Samia Suluhu Hassan in 1978, and the couple had four children together.
When Samia became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021, Hafidh became the country’s first male presidential spouse, making him a unique figure in Tanzania’s political history. Despite his wife’s prominent position, he maintained a relatively private life and largely stayed away from political activities and the public spotlight.
He was widely known as Mzee Hafidh, with the Swahili title “Mzee” reflecting respect for an elder. He was also officially referred to as “Mwenza wa Rais,” meaning “the President’s spouse.”
His death has prompted mourning across Tanzania as the country remembers a man who supported President Samia throughout her journey into the highest office while maintaining a quiet presence of his own.
Funeral and burial preparations are underway, with the burial expected to take place in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar, his home area.
Mzee Hafidh Ameir will be remembered as an agricultural professional, a family man and a historic figure who became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman.
May he rest in peace.
