Zanzibar, 12 May 2025—Preparations are underway for the official farewell ceremony of the late Charles Martin Hilary, Director of Communications at the State House and Government Spokesperson for the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, who passed away on May 11, 2025, in Dar es Salaam.
Earlier today, Mr. Rajab Ali Ramadhan, Director of Operations and Human Resources at the Office of the President, State House, led a delegation of senior officials on an inspection tour of Mapinduzi Square in Kisonge, Urban West Region.
The site will host the farewell event, which was initially scheduled to take place at the Idris Abdulwakil Hall.
"We are working closely with various government departments to ensure that everything is in place to give our brother and colleague a dignified farewell. His contribution to the government and the nation at large will never be forgotten," said Mr. Ramadhan during the site visit.
In a change of schedule, the farewell ceremony will now be held on May 14, 2025, at Mapinduzi Square. Government officials, members of the public, and members of the media are expected to attend to pay their final respects.
The body of the late Charles Martin Hilary is expected to arrive in Zanzibar on May 13, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. through Malindi Port, where it will be received with full honors.
"Charles was not only a dedicated public servant but also a voice of clarity and reason during key moments in our national discourse. His passing is a profound loss to us all," said a senior government official who worked closely with him.
The burial will take place on May 14, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., at Mwanakwerekwe Cemetery, also located in the Urban West Region.
The Office of the President has urged members of the public to turn out in large numbers to honor the memory and legacy of a man who served the nation with unwavering dedication.