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.
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’
Monrovia — The Rwanda Minister of State responsible for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, cautioned that while the country is beginning to see positive signals in its fight against the Marburg virus, the outbreak is “not yet over”. He, however, expressed hope that “we are headed in that direction”. The minister said the epidemiology trend, since the disease was first discovered in the country more than a month ago, is moving towards fewer cases.
Dr. Butera, who was giving updates during an online briefing yesterday, said in the past two weeks, only two deaths were recorded while 14 people recovered from the disease. He said Rwanda was expanding its testing capacity with 16,000 people already inoculated against the disease.
The priority right now, Butera said, is “rapid testing and detection”.
Marburg is a highly virulent disease transmitted through human-to-human contact or contact with an infected animal. The fatality rate of cases, which has varied over the period, is more than 50%, according to the World Health Organization. WHO said the highest number of new confirmed cases in Rwanda were reported in the first two weeks of the outbreak. There’s been a “sharp decline” in the last few weeks, with the country now tackling over 60 cases.
At Thursday’s briefing, a senior official of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, said mpox – the other infectious disease outbreak that countries in the region are fighting – was been reported in 19 countries, with Mauritius being the latest country to confirm a case. He said although no new cases have been recorded in recent weeks in several countries where outbreaks occurred previously – including Cameroon, South Africa, Guinea, and Gabon – Uganda confirmed its first Mpox death. This, he said, is one of two fatalities reported outside Central Africa.
Dr. Ngashi revealed that there was an increase in cases in Liberia and Uganda. He said mpox cases were still on an upward trend.
“The situation is not yet under control.”
Source: allafrica.com
Zanzibar airport monopoly puts 600 jobs at risk
On September 14, 2022, the director general of ZAA issued a directive that gave Dnata Zanzibar Aviation Services Limited an exclusive access to the newly constructed Terminal III, barring other operators.Continue Reading
Ankaya Village: Experience active living and wise investment in Zanzibar
Ankaya Village offers more than just a place to live—it’s a lifestyle choice that’s as enriching as it is rewardingContinue Reading
