The late Jerry Mburi.
BY THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER Former official of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UN-ICTR) and Tanzanian diplomat, Jerry Mburi (72), was laid to rest on September 2, 2026, at his Kihurio home village in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region.
The late Mburi died in Dar es Salaam on August 27 at the Aga Khan Hospital after suffering health challenges.
Hundreds of mourners attended his farewell, with many describing him as a humble and highly professional person who carried out his duties with discipline and dedication, as he was particularly gifted in negotiations.
The late Mburi, a lawyer and seasoned diplomat, will be remembered for the crucial role he played in Tanzania’s successful bid to host the ICTR in Arusha, which tried key perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
As Tanzania competed against other potential host countries, the late Mburi was among key negotiators and an instrumental figure in the diplomatic and legal engagements that enabled the country to secure the hosting of the UN tribunal at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in 1994.
The ICTR went on to become one of the most important international judicial institutions ever hosted in Tanzania and helped place Arusha firmly on the global map as a centre for international justice.
The late Mburi later continued to serve the Tribunal, including as a Legal and Administrative Officer, where he was involved in liaison with the Tanzania government and other host-country matters.
He also remained involved during the closing stages of the Tribunal.
Before joining the ICTR, the late Mburi served at Tanzania’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, where he handled legal and political affairs.
