Lowassa was closer to top seat than any other former Premier

Arusha. Besides Salim Ahmed Salim, the late Edward Lowassa served as a prime minister for a shorter time than the rest of ex-PMs.

He held the position for only two years and about one month compared to Mr Salim who was the PM for one and a half years.

Yet, the former lawmaker for Monduli defeated the rest of politicians who served as PM for coming closer to the presidency.

During the heated contested polls in 2015, Mr Lowassa vied for Union presidency on the opposition ticket.

He was forced to cross over to Chadema after his name was deleted during the nomination process of CCM presidential candidate.

Prior to that, he appeared unbeatable as he traversed the country seeking signatures from CCM supporters for the race.

Deletion of his name obviously pained the politician who was dedicated to the ruling party from childhood.

Under the Ukawa coalition, for which Chadema was one of the parties, Lowassa garnered six million votes against Dr Magufuli's 8.8 million votes.

No other politician who had served as the prime minister in the Union government had come that close to the top seat.

Mr Lowassa may have earned much fame during the short (two years) period as the PM under Jakaya Kikwete's fourth phase regime.

He is credited for initiating 'shule za kata' (ward secondary schools) which aimed to increase Form One enrolment for the young learners. It was he who reportedly pushed for the establishment of University of Dodoma (UDOM).

There is no contention that during his short stint as PM, he gained popularity from the way he dealt with a host of crises that faced the country, including drought.

Lowassa was appointed PM in December 2005 by President Kikwete but was forced to resign in February 2008 over the Richmond scandal.

But Lowassa had a long history in political leadership, including serving for 15 years in the cabinet and over 20 years as an MP.

The Monduli-born politician was an accomplished leader of the CCM youth wing from his early days, earning him more mileage.

He was reckoned for being shrewd in networking, crafty in his deals and skilled in reaching out to his supporters.

He believed both groups - those at the top and bottom - mattered most for his desired journey up to the higher echelons of leadership.

Mr Salim Ahmed Salim, the Union prime minister during 1984/85, had inched closer to that but in nomination. The nomination process for someone to succeed President Julius Nyerere ended with three names; Mr Salim, Ally Hassan Mwinyi and Rashid Mfaume Kawawa.

Finally, it was Mr Mwinyi who was nominated to vie for the Union presidency. At that time, Mr Salim was the PM and Mwinyi the Zanzibar president.

Other former PMs who had shown some potential in ascending to the highest ladder of national leadership included Joseph Sinde Warioba.

The former Attorney General had been articulate in discussing the national leadership issues, often challenging politicians to be 'clean'.

He served as prime minister under the second phase government of President Mwinyi from 1985 to 1990, a challenging time given the economic crisis.

John Samwel Malecela had also been touted, given that he was the second strongest man on the land during his five year (1990-1994) as PM.

Mzee Malecela, once a powerful Foreign Affairs minister (in the 1970s), unsuccessfully sought nomination to fly the CCM flag for presidency in 1995 and 2005.

Cleopa David Msuya and Frederick Tluway Sumaye also sought nomination for the presidential race at different times but failed.

The late Rashid Mfaume Kawawa, Mwalimu's closest political ally from the early independence days, found the presidency closer but difficult to grab.

His name was skipped when only three names remained for the CCM Central Committee to pick someone to succeed Nyerere in 1985.

Mizengo Kayanza Pinda, PM from 2008 to 2015 and Kassim Majaliwa, the current PM have not been in the race for the top seat.

Lowassa’s popularity was once again seen yesterday when multitudes of people lined up to receive his body in Arusha and Monduli.

Women wailed as the motorcade carrying his body from the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) snaked its way to Monduli through the crowded roads in Arusha.

A special plane carrying the casket from Dar es Salaam touched down at KIA minutes after 11:22 am and reached Monduli - a distance of about 80km - at about 2 pm.

Wailings became intense as the motorcade reached the suburbs of Arusha where hundreds of people, carrying tree branches, paid homage to the popular politician.

The long column of vehicles did not stop within the city where crowds of mourners much concentrated, were seen.

However, in order to allow more people to have a glimpse of the coffin, the motorcade passed through the high density suburbs of Ngarenaro, Mbauda and Majengo.

It was in one of those neighbourhoods that some mourners attempted to block the motorcade during which one of them was beaten up by a security officer.

This was highly condemned by various pundits on social media platforms.

The race to Monduli town - the home town of the deceased - was smooth.

However, the motorcade diverted briefly to the military hospital before the body was taken to the late Lowassa's home at Ngarash.

At Ngarash, the body was taken into the home of the fallen politician. It was accompanied by the family members from Dar es Salaam.

Various political and community leaders were at the compound.

Each of them spoke positively of Mr Lowassa for his immense contribution to the development of Monduli and Tanzania at large.