Professor Haroub Othman - photo Martin Kabemba

Professor Haroub Othman a veteran senior academic at the Institute of Development Studies of the University of Dar es Salaam died in his sleep in Zanzibar on June 27. A prolific writer of articles [several of which were reviewed in TA] and a radio and TV personality he was at the heart of the organisation of virtually everything that the academic staff did at the university to impact on the wider political environment. He was the author of an excellent tribute to the late Abdulrahman Mohamed Babu entitled ‘I saw the future and it worked’. He formed the Zanzibar Electoral Monitoring Commission and supervised the work of ‘Research and Education on Demcocracy in Tanzania.’ He also founded the Isles’ equivalent of the Legal and Human Rights Centre – East African.

Mr Randal Sadleir who worked in the Tanzanian administration for many years from the 1950’s died from a stroke on August 8. We hope to publish an obituary in our next issue.

Margaret Kumbuka who died on May 4 worked as a teacher, broadcaster, editor and in films in many different organisations including the National Kiswahili Council, the International School and SOAS. The Head of the Department of Languages and Culture at SOAS, Akin Oyetade, wrote in ‘SOAS Information’ that she would be remembered for her openness and vivacity and her beaming smile. She was greatly loved by her students. Thank you Elsbeth Court for this – Editor.