Unguja. Panya Ali Abdallah ,60, the Special Seats Representative in the Zanzibar House of Representatives, has passed away while receiving treatment in India.
Hamza Hassan Juma, the Minister of State in the Office of the Second Vice President, Policy, Coordination, and the Zanzibar House of Representatives, reported that the government, in coordination with the family, is managing the funeral arrangements and the return of the deceased’s body to Zanzibar.
Panya had been ill for a long time and had received treatment in various hospitals within the country before being sent to India.
According to Hamza, he died on the night of July 25, 2024. The body is expected to arrive at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar on July 27, 2024. It will be handed over to the family and buried on the same day.
“The government has finalized arrangements for transporting the body. We anticipate that the body will be received on Saturday afternoon and handed over to the family before proceeding directly for the burial,” Hamza said.
The passing of Panya has deeply affected his colleagues. Some representatives have expressed that they have lost a significant figure who contributed greatly to both the House of Representatives and the government as a whole.
Representative Juma Ali Khatib expressed shock at the news, praising Panya as an excellent representative who made substantial contributions to government plans.
“It is indeed a great loss; we have lost an important person within the House. His contributions will be remembered both within and outside the House and the government,” he stated.
Khatib highlighted Panya’s expertise and significant role in implementing government plans.
“All members were in Arusha for special training and sports activities, but after receiving this news, we are returning to Zanzibar to participate in activities to bid farewell to our colleague,” he added.
Panya had chaired various committees in the House of Representatives, including the Ethics Committee.
According to the House of Representatives’ website, Panya, born on February 5, 1964, had been a member of the House since 2010. Before this role, he held several positions in both the government and the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, including Chair of the Parent’s Committee in North B District, Unguja, from 2003 to 2012.
He also served as a member of the Political Committee from 2003 to 2012, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Union of Tanzanian Women (UWT) from 2012 to 2017, and a member of the CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) from 2012 to 2017.
Panya is the second representative to pass away since the general elections concluded in 2020, preceded by Mtambwe Pemba representative Habib Ali Mohammed (ACT Wazalendo), who died on March 3, 2023, while receiving treatment at Saifee Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
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On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
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