Zanzibar’s House of Representatives member has died

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.