Zanzibar President Dr. Hussein Mwinyi led hundreds of mourners at the funeral of Fatma Karume, widow of Zanzibar's first President, Abeid Amani Karume. Fatma, who died on Monday at the age of 97, was laid to rest at the Karume family cemetery in Mbweni, on the outskirts of Zanzibar City. The funeral prayers were led by Zanzibar's Chief Mufti, Sheikh Saleh Omar Kabi, at Jamii Zenjibar Mosque in Mazizini.
Dignitaries who attended the funeral included First Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman, Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, and other senior government officials. They paid their final respects and placed soil on the grave. Former Zanzibar President Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein and former Chief Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha were also among senior leaders who attended the funeral, alongside religious leaders, politicians, and hundreds of ordinary citizens from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.
President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan sent condolences to President Mwinyi, former President Amani Karume, Ambassador Ali Karume, and the wider family, describing Fatma's death as a painful loss. In a message issued by State House and signed by its Director of Communications, Bakari Machumu, President Samia expressed her sorrow and urged the bereaved family to remain patient and find comfort during the difficult period.
Mourners remembered Fatma as a woman of courage, wisdom, and conviction who devoted much of her life to supporting social causes, promoting peace, and advocating greater participation of women in public affairs. CCM National Executive Committee member Mohammed Aboud Mohammed said Fatma's death was a loss not only to Zanzibar but also to Tanzania and beyond because of her contribution to society.
Mohammed Aboud described Fatma as a woman who closely followed political and national development issues and was never reluctant to offer advice or raise concerns when she believed something was against the interests of the country. Minister of State in the Second Vice-President's Office, Policy, Coordination, and House of Representatives, Hamza Hassan Juma, said Fatma had played an important role as an adviser to leaders, drawing on her experience and wisdom.
Deputy Minister for Water, Energy, and Minerals Zawadi Amour Nassor recalled meeting Fatma at a function in Zanzibar only a month ago, saying that despite her advanced age, she remained articulate and deeply interested in issues affecting Zanzibar and its people. Former women's representative Asha Abdalla Juma described Fatma as a role model for women seeking education, leadership, and greater participation in public life.
Fatma, whose full name was Fatuma Gulamhussein Ismail, was born in Bumbwini, northern Unguja, in 1929. She was the wife of Abeid Amani Karume, Zanzibar's first President, and they had three children, namely the late Asha Karume, former President Amani Karume, and Ambassador Ali Karume. Her biography records that before and during the 1964 Revolution, she joined her husband in the struggle for independence and social justice, while also advocating women's rights.
Key points
- Zanzibar President Dr. Hussein Mwinyi led the funeral of Fatma Karume, widow of Zanzibar's first President, Abeid Amani Karume.
- Fatma Karume was remembered as a woman of courage, wisdom, and conviction who devoted much of her life to supporting social causes and promoting peace.
- President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan sent condolences to the bereaved family, describing Fatma's death as a painful loss.
