Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s husband, Hafidh Ameir Hassan (also referred to as Hafidh Ameir), died on Monday, September 7, 2026.
He passed away at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT) at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar while receiving treatment for a heart condition.
Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi made the official announcement, expressing condolences to President Hassan, her family, and the people of Tanzania. Funeral arrangements were underway in Kizimkazi, a village on Zanzibar.
Ameir was an agricultural academic who largely maintained a low public profile. He became Tanzania’s first First Gentleman after Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed the presidency in March 2021 following the death of John Magufuli.
The couple married in 1978 and had four children (three sons and a daughter); their daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, is a politician serving in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives.
Regional leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto, issued tributes. Ruto described Ameir as President Hassan’s lifelong companion, a beloved father to their children, and a distinguished son of Tanzania.
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