By Annette Ikponmwonba | September 7, 2026
Keypoints
• Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has lost her husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan.
• Hafidh Ameir Hassan died on Monday while receiving treatment at a hospital in Zanzibar.
• Tanzania’s Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi announced the death.
• Ameir reportedly died at 8am local time at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital.
• He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition.
• Funeral arrangements are underway in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar.
• Ameir was an agricultural academic who largely maintained a low public profile.
• He became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman when Samia became president in March 2021.
• Samia and Ameir married in 1978 and had four children, three sons and a daughter.
• Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is a politician and serves in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
• Kenyan President William Ruto expressed condolences to President Samia following the death.
Main Story
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has lost her husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan, who died on Monday while receiving treatment at a hospital in Zanzibar, The death of Tanzania’s First Gentleman was announced by Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi.
Ndejembi said Ameir had been suffering from a heart condition and died at 8am local time at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar, Funeral arrangements are underway in Kizimkazi, a village on Zanzibar, where family and sympathisers are expected to gather to mourn his passing.
Ameir, an agricultural academic, largely stayed away from the political spotlight during his wife’s rise through public life. He rarely appeared alongside President Samia at official functions and maintained a relatively private profile, He became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman when Samia assumed the presidency in March 2021, following the death of President John Magufuli.
Samia and Ameir had been married since 1978, before she entered national politics. The couple had four children, including three sons and a daughter, Their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, has followed a political path and serves in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
The Issues
The death marks a deeply personal loss for President Samia, who has been Tanzania’s president since 2021, Ameir’s relatively private life meant that he maintained a limited public presence despite being married to the country’s president, His death has also prompted condolences from leaders across the region, reflecting the significance of the loss within East African political circles.
What’s Being Said
Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his condolences to President Samia following the announcement, Ruto described Ameir as President Samia’s lifelong companion and expressed sorrow over his passing, The Tanzanian government has confirmed that funeral arrangements are already underway in Zanzibar.
What’s Next
Attention will now turn to the funeral arrangements and official mourning activities in Tanzania and Zanzibar, President Samia is expected to receive condolences from political leaders, regional governments and members of the public as the country mourns the former First Gentleman.
Bottom Line
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is mourning the death of her husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan, who died at a hospital in Zanzibar after suffering from a heart condition. The couple had been married for 48 years and had four children. His death has prompted condolences from leaders across East Africa, including Kenyan President William Ruto.
