Zephania Ubwani, journalist who covered EAC rise, fall and rise again, dies at 71

The name Zephania Giteadu Ubwani was perhaps not celebrity material in the strictest sense. But then the East African media fraternity has been mourning one of their kind; a man who has been eyes and ears of the political and economic falls, rises and misgivings of the regional integration.

Zephania Ubwani, or Zeph, was a Tanzanian journalist who worked for Nation Media Group (NMG) for more than three decades, usually based at the NMG’s The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers but also reported for The EastAfrican.

As the East African Community (EAC) became hopeless and later hopeful, Ubwani became some kind of in-house expert on integration. He could count achievements at his fingertips, and the perennial challenges of the Community were always at the back of his mind.

He even knew the biggest promoters of the reintegration, having begun his career just as Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Yoweri Museveni and Daniel Moi regrouped in the early 1990s to relaunch the EAC that had died in 1977.

Zeph died on Saturday, April 6, aged 71. His family said he collapsed shortly after a news interview in the northern city of Arusha, ending an era of an encyclopaedic journalist who covered the admission ceremony for every one of the eight members who joined the regional bloc.

EAC now includes the latest entrants like Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It also includes South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi. All members have been joining since 1999, the definitive year when the EAC was relaunched.

Encyclopaedic knowledge

Zeph once served as Nation Media Group’s Bureau Chief in Arusha and won awards for reporting on issues as varied as land conflict and higher education.

He served Mwananchi while there and also wrote for the Daily Nation, The EastAfrican and Daily Monitor. But he is remembered for doing other things beyond just the newsroom.

“He believed in the East African story; he reported it consistently. He had encyclopaedic knowledge of the region. He also fought for the rights of pastoralists and their place in the regional ecosystem,” said Jackson Mutinda, lead editor of The EastAfrican.

Last month, we met in Arusha for a training programme facilitated by the East African Court of Justice (EACJ). He was jovial as usual and spoke candidly about the mood at the EAC secretariat following the decision by Kenyan President William Ruto to recall the outgoing EAC Secretary General Dr Peter Mathuki.

“What are Kenyans saying about Dr Mathuki’s removal?” he posed.

He was so persistent with that question. I replied in jest that a majority of Kenyans were too busy to notice Dr Mathuki’s removal due to high taxes and high cost of living. Our conversation continued and he wanted to know President Ruto’s nominee to replace Dr Mathuki, Caroline Mwende Mueke, and her background. He did not live to meet her.

Disdain for injustice

I first met Zeph while on assignment to Tanzania in 2011. It was my first time to the country.

The most remarkable qualities about Ubwani, as he aged, were his gratitude and humility. In private, he spoke his mind, but maintained professionalism with his contacts.

If you cared to know why Tanzanian trucks were denied entry to Kenya, or why Kenyan chicks were burned by Tanzanian authorities at the Namanga border, Ubwani was a phone call away.

He covered Tanzanian presidents from Julius Nyerere to Samia Suluhu in Tanzania, Daniel Arap Moi to Ruto in Kenya, Milton Obote to Kaguta Museveni in Uganda, the late Pierre Nkurunziza (Burundi), Paul Kagame of Rwanda, among others.

For rookies coming onto the East African Community beat, he was ready to share his own contacts just to ensure one wrote a better story. Zeph became an epitome of what they describe in the news gathering circles, a journalist is only as good as his contacts -- who he or she knows.

And he had a deep disdain for injustice; even though he never liked being described as an activist. The type who did not belittle, he made visits to Arusha feel like home.

Journalism career

Born on September 12, 1953 in Katesh, Hanang, Manyara region in northern Tanzania, Ubwani began his journalism career at the state-owned Daily News. He worked there through the 1990s.

When Nation Media Group bought a controlling stake in Mwananchi Communications Limited in the early 2000s, it facilitated the establishment of an English daily, The Citizen.

“Ubwani lived for the job. That is why, at the ripe young age of 71, he was still our most prolific writer for The Citizen in the northern circuit. We had coaxed him out of retirement to cover the EAC beat he loved so much, and he always delivered,” said Mpoki Thomson, managing editor at The Citizen.

Ubwani was employed as a business reporter at The Citizen, when it was launched in Tanzania on September 16, 2004.

Two years later he was appointed bureau chief for Arusha/Mwanza, something that gave him ample time to keep doing what he loved, writing.

“The late Zephania Ubwani was considered the dean of the Arusha press corps. Straight shooter, hyper networked, sourced up everywhere. He was known for scoops and insights about the EAC/regional integration politics, trade and the tourism industry. He held a lot of young writer’s hands in their early days.”

Even when he was promoted to work from Dar es Salaam, the then capital city, he always preferred to report from Arusha, the Tanzanian diplomatic capital.

“I grew up on the job, appreciating his journalism acumen. After two years, I was promoted to serve as Managing Editor for The Citizen. On resetting the team, I was tempted to commit the very sin of giving him a raise—by justifying it by making him an editor and moving him to Dar es Salaam,” said Bakari S. Machumu, former Managing Director at The Citizen and formerly Ubwani’s immediate supervisor.

“So, I prepared and thought he would receive it kwa mikono miwili (with open arms). Wapii! (where!). He didn’t. He refused. He opted to remain a writer,” Mr Machumu said.

He preferred to work as a writer rather than sit in an office and edit or supervise his colleagues as an editor.

Professional acumen

"Ubwani was the epitome of balanced reporting, meticulously crafting each story with impartiality and precision. His dedication to the EAC was palpable; he tirelessly sought out stories that would uplift and drive the community forward,” Lillian Kiarie, communication and media expert at the EAC Secretariat.

“Yet, beyond his professional acumen, Ubwani exuded kindness, respect, and thoughtfulness, always brightening the day for everyone he met with uplifting compliments,” she added.

With Ubwani's passing, a thesaurus of untold tales of historical events goes with him.

“He leaves behind a legacy of pure commitment and dedication to perfecting his craft as a regional reporter. His impact will continue inspiring future generations,” Ms Kiarie said.

Whenever he travelled to neighbouring Kigali, he could always seek some of his colleagues out.

“Whenever he planned a visit to Rwanda, he would inform me in advance, allowing me to arrange a hotel for his stay and accompany him around Kigali, engaging in enlightening discussions about regional matters and delving into the shared history of our nations. His presence and wisdom will be deeply missed, leaving a void that is not easily filled,” said Eric Kabeera, a communication consultant in Rwanda.

Mr Kabeera described him as not only generous but also a mentor and a guiding figure in his life.

“During my tenure in the media industry, our interactions were marked by the exchange of ideas, sharing of contacts for sources, and his invaluable guidance, as he treated me like his own son.”

In Uganda, Ubwani met and interacted with the media fraternity at the Monitor, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, New Vision to mention but a few.

“No story was too big or too small for Ubwani. For him, every story was always a good opportunity to do good journalism,” said Catherine Ageno, Broadcast Editor, NMG-Uganda.

Heart ailment

Mpoki disclosed that lately, he'd been suffering from a heart ailment, first diagnosed in October last year, according to those who knew him.

“He was in treatment, but through it all, he kept fighting, kept scooping, kept reporting. As recently as early this year, he was in Indonesia, chasing a story,” said Mpoki.

At the time of his passing, he was a special correspondent for The Citizen in Arusha.

He is survived by his widow, and four children.