William Shija
Dr William F. Shija | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 6th Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association | |
|
In office 1 January 2007 – 4 October 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | Denis Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Karimulla Akbar Khan |
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Member of Parliament for Sengerema | |
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In office 1990–2005 |
|
| Succeeded by | William Ngeleja |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 April 1947 Tanganyika |
| Died | 4 October 2014 (aged 67) London, United Kingdom |
| Resting place | Sengerema, Tanzania |
| Nationality | Tanzanian |
| Political party | CCM |
| Spouse | Getruda Peter Shija |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Howard University (PhD) |
William Ferdinand Shija (28 April 1947 – 4 October 2014) was a Tanzanian politician and the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association between 2007 and 2014. He had also served as a member of the African Union's Pan-African Parliament.
Early life and career
Shilija was born in Nyampande village in Sengerema District of Mwanza Region. Before entering politics, Shilja worked as a civil servant and a teacher. After receiving higher education in India and the United States, he taught communications in Tanzania.
Politics
Shija was a member of the National Assembly of Tanzania from 1990 to 2005. During this time he held the positions of Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education; Minister for Information and Broadcasting; Minister for Energy and Minerals; and Minister for Industries and Trade. He was a member of the Pan-African Parliament in 2004 and 2005 and chaired the Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resources. He was appointed the first African Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on September 9, 2006 and took up the position on 1 January 2007. His term lasted until 2014.
Personal life
Shija was married with five children. When he assumed the post of Secretary-General of the CPA, he lived in London. Dr. Shija was a patron for a Welsh based charity that works extensively in Tanzania.
Death
He died on 4 October 2014 in London. He was buried in his home village of Nyampande in Sengerema District, Mwanza Region.