President Yoweri Museveni has paid glowing tribute to Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former president of Tanzania who died on Thursday.

Aged 98, he succumbed to lung cancer at Mzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

Mwinyi served as Tanzania’s second president from 1985 to 1995. He was the first leader to serve as President for Zanzibar and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Various leaders, particularly from Africa have joined Tanzanians to pay their last respects to the former president who was buried on Saturday evening in Zanzibar.

In his condolence message, President Yoweri Museveni narrated his relationship with Mwinyi and Tanzania's first president Julius Nyerere spanning several decades.

"Mzee Mwinyi made a positive contribution to the East African region and to Uganda’s future," Museveni said in a statement released by State House Entebbe on Sunday, March 3.

Below is the President’s condolence message in full;

CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT MWINYI

This week, our comrade in the struggle, Mzee Hassan Mwinyi, former President of Tanzania, died. On Friday, in our CEC meeting, we observed one minute of silence in his memory.  

Mzee Mwinyi had been in the successive governments of the United Republic of Tanzania in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, in various capacities.  

It was in that very period, that some of us were students and, later on, freedom fighters against Idi Amin, in Tanzania. I had, however, not worked directly with Mzee Mwinyi until towards the end of 1985.  

In that period, Mwalimu Nyerere retired as President of Tanzania. However, before he retired, he directed that the NRA, our Resistance Army, should be allocated 5,000 SMGs and 1 million rounds of their ammunition.  

I am glad Mzee Mwinyi implemented Mwalimu’s pledge. Thirteen, 10-tonne lorries, delivered the useful cargo to us at Nyamarungyi border point, in Isingiro District.  

A few months ago, Her Excellency Samia (President of Tanzania) and I were at Kyikagate, to the West of that point, commissioning a joint hydro-power station on the Kagyera River. Whatever a man sows, that is what he reaps.

After capturing power in 1986, Mzee Mwinyi worked with us very well in the matter of reviving the East African Community. It was Mzee Moi and Mzee Mwinyi who helped to revive that great organization.  

On other bilateral issues, we worked very well with Mzee Mwinyi on all issues. I remember, going to Kimwanyi, near Masaka, to break ground for the power line to supply electricity to Bukoba, in Tanzania from Uganda.  

During the Rwanda war, Tanzania played a constructive neutral role. That is why the peace negotiations were taking place in Arusha. 

Mzee Mwinyi made a positive contribution to the East African region and to Uganda’s future.  

Indeed, the 20,000 rifles we used to liberate Kampala, contained the 5000 ordered by Mwalimu as already pointed out and implemented by Mzee Mwinyi. 

His contribution within Tanzania, is better commented on by the Tanzanian comrades who are more qualified.  

May his soul rest in eternal peace. We express our condolences to the family and our Tanzanian comrades.  

YOWERI K. MUSEVENI

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NRM