Renowned Tanzanian comedian Umar Iahbedi Issa, popularly known as Mzee Mjegeje, has passed away.
Mzee Mjegeje, best known for his comedy video “Kata simu tupo site” (“Hang up, we’re on site”), breathed his last on Wednesday morning at Mwananyamala Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he was undergoing treatment.
His manager, Real Jimmy, confirmed the sad news but did not disclose the illness that led to his death.
Mzee Mjegeje, also known as the President of Bagamoyo, was a resident of the Bagamoyo area in the Pwani region of Tanzania.
He gained international fame, including in Kenya in 2022, when his video “Kata simu, tupo site” went viral on social media platforms.
In that widely acclaimed video, the comedian was seen speaking on a small phone, saying, “Hang up, hang up, we’re on site. We don’t like disturbance of the head, you understand.”
The comedian’s words from that video have since been used in numerous memes, and some other artists have incorporated them into their songs.
May the soul of Mzee Mjeje rest in eternal peace!
