Former Tanzanian Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa gets buried in Monduli after massive Arusha Stadium Farewell

Former Tanzanian Prime Minister, Edward Ngoyai Lowassa who died on Saturday, February 10, 2024 will receive a massive stadium farewell in Arusha City before getting laid to rest at his home in Monduli.

The Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha gets filled to capacity as thousands of the city residents gather there to bid the charismatic politician goodbye, according to official program.

Head of State, Samia Suluhu Hassan will grace the former premier’s burial ceremony in Monduli District on Saturday, March 17, 2024.

The former PM remains the most popular politician in Tanzania in the modern times.

Mr Lowassa who also vied for the Presidency in the 2015 General Elections whose results declared the late John Pombe Magufuli to be the winning candidate.

He reportedly died at the Jakaya Kikwete cardiac institute hospital in Dar-es-salaam where he was undergoing medical treatments.

Possibly the second most powerful personality in Tanzanian politics after the country’s founding president, Julius Nyerere; Lowassa is an alumnus of the University of Dar-es-Salaam.

Born on August 26, 1953 Lowassa died aged 71 years.

He served as the Member of Parliament for the Monduli Constituency in Arusha Region and previously also the Minister of Water during the reign of the late President Benjamin Mkapa.

Lowassa became Prime Minister during the Presidency of his college mate, Jakaya Kikwete of the fourth phase government before resigning in 2008.

Lowassa was among the respected elders in the Maasai Communities of East Africa.

Edward Lowassa joined Monduli Primary School, which later became Moringe Primary School in 1961.

During his Primary School days, Lowassa was the school band leader.

He then went on to advance his education at Arusha Secondary School in 1968 and sat for his O-Level Certificate, the CSEE in 1971.

For his Advance levels, Lowassa was enrolled at Milambo Secondary School from 1972 to 1973 where he sat for his ACSEE.

The charismatic politician received his undergraduate degree in BA Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1977.

It was during his time at the University of Dar es Salaam, that he met Jakaya Kikwete who would later become his closest friend, ally and political partner.

In 1978 Lowassa was drafted into the army and fought in the Kagera War between Tanzania and Uganda.

Lowassa then went on to earn a MSc. Development Studies from The University of Bath in the United Kingdom in 1984.

He defected from the ruling party the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in 2015 and joined the opposition wing through Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) so that he could contest for presidency.