HENRY KIHERIRE-   “Rest in Peace”

Arising from communications which are currently circulating through whatsapp and other social media regarding the handling of the overall bereavement on the passing of Henry Kiherile by gun shots, the family of Henry Kiherile in Houston wishes to express the following:

(1) We wish to express once again our sincere thanks to the Tanzanian Houston community and its leadership for the overwhelming support given to us as we grieved for the loss of Henry. You mourned with us, you prayed with us, you supported us financially, and you allowed us to cry on your shoulders. We thank you so much.

(2) We acknowledge with many thanks the support and leadership we received from the Embassy of Tanzania as we grieved on the loss. The consular services we needed to facilitate transportation of the body to Tanzania were rendered promptly and we appreciate the expressions of sympathy during the entire time we worked on the consular affairs related to transporting the body home. We are particularly grateful to the Embassy for sending an embassy official, Dismas Assenga, to Houston to mourn with us and to deliver the Ambassador’s condolence message and financial contribution. We thank you so much.

(3) We wish to inform you that the family is in close communication with the Houston Police Department team working on the case. We have had several in person meetings and regular telephone communications for briefings and updates. We believe the perpetrator(s) of the crime will be brought to justice in time.

(4) We would like to state very clearly that we were very well served by all institutions and organizations that we have worked with or are working with in this matter (Houston Police Department, Embassy of Tanzania, Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Umoja Church). We feel very well served during this very difficult time for us.

(5) Last but not least, and considering all of the above, we would like to inform all of you that we do not subscribe to the view expressed in the WhatsApp communication which wishes to send out a petition seeking signatures to support a recommendation to the government of Tanzania to remove Ambassador Wilson Masilingi from serving as Ambassador of Tanzania to the United States, purportedly for “kutowajibika na kutokujali vifo viwili tofauti ndani ya mwezi mmoja mjini Texas kwa kupigwa risasi”. We have not expressed such discontent to anyone and we would like to remove any implication that because we are one of the families that lost a son so horrifically we, therefore, may have contributed to the petition idea or motivated the authors of the petition. We want Henry to rest in peace and for us to be allowed to move on.

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact;

Mr. Mathew Mohono – 281-804-6478

Dr. Lenard Tenende – 713-540-6355

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