William Shija
Tanzanian politician
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William Ferdinand Shija (28 April 1947 – 4 October 2014) was a Tanzanian politician and the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association between 2007 and 2014. He had also served as a member of the African Union's Pan-African Parliament.[1]
Dr William F. Shija | |
|---|---|
| |
| 6th Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association | |
| In office 1 January 2007 – 4 October 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Denis Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Karimulla Akbar Khan |
| Member of Parliament for Sengerema | |
| In office 1990–2005 | |
| Succeeded by | William Ngeleja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 April 1947 |
| Died | 4 October 2014 (aged 67) |
| Resting place | Sengerema, Tanzania |
| Party | CCM |
| Spouse | Getruda Peter Shija |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Howard University (PhD) |
Early life and career
Shija was born in Nyampande village in Sengerema District of Mwanza Region. Before entering politics, Shija worked as a civil servant and a teacher. After receiving higher education in India and the United States, he taught communications in Tanzania.
Politics
Shija was a member of the National Assembly of Tanzania from 1990 to 2005. During this time he held the positions of Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education; Minister for Information and Broadcasting; Minister for Energy and Minerals; and Minister for Industries and Trade. He was a member of the Pan-African Parliament in 2004 and 2005 and chaired the Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resources.[2] He was appointed the first African Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association[3] on September 9, 2006 and took up the position on 1 January 2007. His term lasted until 2014.
Personal life
Death
He died on 4 October 2014 in London.[5][6] He was buried in his home village of Nyampande in Sengerema District, Mwanza Region.[7]