Piece by: Maureen Waruinge

08 October 2022

• Jakaya turned 72 years old on Friday.

• Family and friends threw the retired head of state a bash.

Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has lavished praise on his lovely wife for standing by him all these years.

The former Head of State was on Friday October 7 celebrating his 72nd birthday and his wife Salma Kikwete was by his side helping him cut a cake.

Family and friends joined them to mark his born day. Singer Ali Kiba also serenaded the retired President.

"These things of celebrating birthdays for us of my age are very new things," Kikwete shyly spoke. He joyfully thanked his countrymen for coming to be with him;

" I was born in a village no one remembers my birthday. The youth of nowadays are the ones who like celebrating birthdays. I remember when my daughter Mwanaasha was young, it was her birthday and she relied on cake. I came back home from work in Mikocheni.

She woke me up to ask about her cake I told her that I didn't bring it, she got very angry. She went inside and came back and told me she didn’t want to talk to me. I saw some great things!. I told the driver to go out and look for a cake. I brought it to her and she was very happy. And the fight is over!"

Salma wished him long life.

"Congratulations to my husband for attaining 72 years, it is not a small thing. My husband, my love, my friend. I wish you all the best and long life with blessings.

The day that I will never forget is the day he turned 50 because it is a half century for me it was a very big day even for the family and we celebrated a very big Maulid and I believe he was also very happy."

The wonderful couple had prior to the birthday bash held an interview with a section of Tanzanian media, where they opened up about their marriage, and other details.

Kikwete gushed after her comments;

"She cares about me and I care about her and she has been caring about my happiness and I pray that God gives her long life as she goes before I bury her and when I go before she buries me."

Mr Kikwete was asked to weigh in on what has held his relationship through the years.

"Akipandisha hasira nakaa kimya," he told the panel of journalists.

He added,

"There are days she raises a lot but I keep quiet because when she gets angry I decide to keep quiet because if she raises and I raise then we must destroy. If I annoy her and she raises me I stay silent because when I leave she sees that I despise her so I will remain there. Until anger ends and life goes on but patience and accept that no human being is complete."

(Kuna siku anapandisha sana ila mimi nanyamaza maana akikasirika mimi naamua kunyamaza maana kama akipandisha na mimi nikipandisha basi lazima tuharibu)

Mrs Salma Kikwete also gave her opinion why more and more marriages are failing saying,

"Kinachoharibu mahusiano ni simu kabla mwenyewe hajaipokea umeipokea wewe (Kushikiana simu) nikwambie ukweli mimi simu yangu naiacha hapo mume wangu, watoto wangu wanapokea suala kubwa ni uaminifu na kila mtu kumuamini mwenzie.“

Salma Kikwete looked on lovingly at her husband speaking. She advised that couples must have patience

"I am patient with him and he is patient with me because it is not that I have no shortcomings and when you get children, patience increases very much."

Mrs Kikwete added,

"You must both build unity and what I believe is that a woman has strength and a man has strength the most important thing is Patience and being able to tolerate each other, you will get there though. Without patience you can't get there. The issue of love is an issue of its kind and when you are lovers it's not because of wealth it's because God unites you."

Salma also dropped another secret to their marriage;

"A human being knows about yesterday and knows about today but no one knows about the future because all is God's will. The most important thing I tell my husband is to increase his love for me."

Mama Salma is highly regarded in Tanzania for her wisdom.