Why 5 Tanzanians Killed at Magufuli Funeral Had Kenyan Names

Five family members who died on Sunday, March 21 at Uhuru Stadium in Tanzania
Five family members who died on Sunday, March 21 at Uhuru Stadium in Tanzania
(COURTESY)

Five family members from Tanzania who died on Sunday, March 21, during the late president John Pombe Magufuli's body viewing, all had Kenyan names.

They died following a stampede at Uhuru Stadium where thousands of mourners were pushing their way in to pay their last respects.

The body of Suzan Ndana Mutwa, 30, was found alongside her children Nathaniel Mwenda Mtuwa, Michelle Harry Mtuwa, Natalia Grance Mtuwa and Chrisian Allan Mtuwa.

Tanzania family who died in a stampede at Uhuru stadium on Sunday, March 21
Tanzania family who died in a stampede at Uhuru stadium on Sunday, March 21
Facebook

A section of Kenyans wondered why the five had names that resembled those of the Kamba community in Kenya.

Levi Odhiambo Opiyo, a historian, explained that the five are descendants of the Kenyan Kamba Community who settled in Tanzania which was known as the German East Africa.

Their common language is Kikamba and settled there during the long-distance trade in the 19th and early twentieth century. 

Other Kambas are also found in Uganda and in the South  American country of  Paraguay  where the  Kamba  Cuá are well known for their intense and lively drumming and dancing, just like their kin in Kenya.

The population of Akamba in Kenya is over 4,348,000, about 8,280 in Uganda and 110,000 in Tanzania.

The Kamba tradition was manifested in their dancing, performed to throbbing polyrhythmic drum beats. It was characterised by exceptionally acrobatic leaps and somersaults, which flung dancers into the air.

The five family members have were buried on Thursday, March 25.

During the stampede, several people collapsed, and several others were reported to have died in the process.

The late Magufuli was pronounced dead on Wednesday, March 17 after developing heart complications at Mzena Hospital.

He will be buried today, Friday, March 26, at his rural home in Chato, Geita region of Tanzania. 

The late Tanzanian president John Magufuli
The late Tanzanian President John Magufuli during a previous event.
Twitter
  • . .