PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday led Tanzanians in mourning the tragic death of Tanzania’s Ambassador to Austria Celestine Mushi, who died in a car crash on Tuesday in Mkata area, Handeni District, Tanga Region.
The late Ambassador Mushi who was also Tanzania’s permanent representative to various international organisations in Vienna died in a car accident while heading to Moshi, Kilimanjaro from Dar es Salaam.
In her tweet shared on Thursday afternoon through her handle @SuluhuSamia, Dr Samia said the country has lost a great diplomat who was also a focused member of the civil service.
“I have received with great shock the information on the death of Ambassador Celestine Mushi, our diplomat to Austria, a permanent representative to other international organisations in Vienna. We have lost a great diplomat and a focused civil servant,” tweeted president Samia.
Earlier, the Handeni District Commissioner Sirieli Mchembe said the body of the deceased was preserved at Handeni District Hospital as they waited for the arrival of his relatives for further arrangements.
She said that the accident occurred on Tuesday night, and that the body of the ambassador was found burnt.
Mushi was appointed by President Samia Suluhu as the Ambassador of Tanzania to Austria in January this year, and on May 5, 2022, he presented his documents to the President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen.
During his career, Ambassador Mushi had also served in various capacities including Assistant Administrative Secretary, Mtwara Regional Secretariat (2018-2021), Ambassador and Director for Multilateral Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation (2012-2018) and the Acting Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (2011-2012).
He also served as Deputy Private Secretary to two Prime Ministers and Principal Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (2006-2010), Head of Economic and Financial Matters, Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the United Nations, New York (2003-2006) as well as the Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (1999-2003).
The late Ambassador Mushi had a Post-Graduate Diploma in Commercial Diplomacy from the Centre for Foreign Relations, Dar es Salaam and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Dar es Salaam. He has left a wife and two children.
