Hafidh Ameir Hassan, the husband of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has died while receiving treatment in Zanzibar. Vice-president Deogratius Ndejembi announced Ameir's passing, stating he had been suffering from a heart condition.
Ameir died at 08:00 local time on Monday at the Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar, according to Ndejembi. Funeral arrangements are currently underway in Kizimkazi, a village on the island.
Hafidh Ameir Hassan, an agricultural academic, became Tanzania's First Gentleman when President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in 2021. He largely maintained a low public profile and was rarely seen with the president at official events. He married Samia in 1978, before her entry into national politics. The couple had four children, including their daughter Wanu Hafidh Ameir, who currently serves in Zanzibar's House of Representatives.
Kenyan President William Ruto offered his condolences, noting that "President Samia has lost a lifelong companion, her children a beloved father, and Tanzania a distinguished son."