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Michael Shirima, one of Tanzania’s most storied entrepreneurs, has passed away at 80.
The tycoon passed away Friday night at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial capital.
Precision Air, the company he founded, announced his death via social media channels.
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our founder and Board Chairman, Mr. Michael N. Shirima. Mr. Shirima passed away last night at 9PM at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam, where he was admitted on June 8, 2023. He was inspirational and a leader to many, and we will forever cherish his life,” the message read.
After losing his father at a young age, Shirima moved from Tanzania to the UK to study aeronautics.
Upon returning to Tanzania, he founded the largest privately held commercial airline, Precision Air, in 1993.
While Shirima was most famous for Precision Air, he owned other highly successful flour milling, coffee farming, and exportation companies that were rarely profiled in African media.
Shirima was also a philanthropist of note. He founded the Cornel Ngaleku Children Center in northern Tanzania, which provided education, shelter, feeding, and skills acquisition to orphaned and destitute children in Tanzania.
Last year, he published his autobiography, “On My Father’s Wings: An Entrepreneurial Journey of Finding Humility, Resiliency, and a Lasting Legacy.”
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