Juma Mwapachu, the former EAC Secretary-General, passes away at age 82

Juma Volter Mwapachu, a former East African Community (EAC) Secretary General and seasoned politician and diplomat from Tanzania, died at the age of 82.

On Friday, March 28, a number of media outlets reported the news of his death. According to reports, Mwapachu, a longstanding supporter of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Tanzania’s ruling party, passed away at Muhimbili National Hospital while undergoing medical care.

On Saturday, March 29, EAC Secretary General Veronica M. Nduva expressed her deepest sympathies to Amb. Mwapachu’s family, friends, and the Tanzanian government on his demise, saying that he “was an exceptional leader, and his contributions to regional development will always be remembered.”

According to Nduva, Amb Mwapachu will be remembered for his focus on employee well-being, his ability to effectively manage the 2005 Customs Union Protocol’s implementation, and his supervision of the Common Market Protocol’s discussions until their signature in 2009.

She claimed that Amb Mwapachu was a fervent supporter of East African collaboration and that he worked hard to see that our community’s objectives were met. “He really had big ideas for the East African people.”

In an X post, the EAC Secretariat wrote, “Amb. Mwapachu was a visionary leader and a true believer in a people-centered community, whose unwavering commitment to the integration process in East Africa was nothing short of inspiring.”

“A strong basis for regional cooperation and economic expansion has been established by his unwavering efforts to promote the Customs Union’s realization and to assist in the Common Market Protocol talks. As we work to create a more affluent and connected East Africa, his legacy will continue to serve as our guidance. In everything he did, his commitment to centering our integration efforts on the East African people was clear.

Mwapachu was a well-known statesman who served in a number of important leadership roles in Tanzania and the surrounding area. He was born in Mwanza on September 27, 1942.

He was Tanzania’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO and its Ambassador to France from 2002 to 2006.

He succeeded Uganda’s Amanya Mushega as the East African Community’s Secretary-General in April 2006. He was instrumental in furthering regional integration initiatives when he was in the office till 2011.

Mwapachu was actively interested in a number of fields outside of diplomacy. He served as the chairman of the East African Business Council, the Confederation of Tanzania Industries, and the Tanzania Railways Corporation Board of Directors. 

He also served as a commissioner on the Presidential Parastatal Sector Reform Commission and served on multiple presidential commissions, which helped shape Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025.

Mwapachu is a qualified attorney who earned a law degree from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1969. Later, he attended the Indian Academy of International Law and Diplomacy in New Delhi, India, to pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in International Law, International Institutions, and Diplomacy. In 2005, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Literature (Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa) from the University of Dar es Salaam in appreciation of his accomplishments.

Additionally, he received honorary degrees in political science from the National University of Rwanda and literature from the University of Dar es Salaam.

Mwapachu also supported intellectual development and the exchange of knowledge. He wrote a number of books and articles about Tanzania’s progress and change.