Tanzanian billionaire Reginald Mengi dies at 75

Tanzanian billionaire and philanthropist Reginald Mengi, 75 is dead, two media outlets associated with him reported on Thursday.

ITV and Radio One reported that Mengi, who was the Executive Chairman of IPP Group of Companies, passed on while in Dubai.

Mengi leaves behind his 35-year old-wife Jacqueline Ntuyabaliwe (former Ms Tanzania) and two sons.

Ntuyabaliwe, also known as K-Lynn, who is popular for her hit song Crazy Over You, is set to inherit the deceased’s vast empire estimated to be worth Ksh50 billion.

Mengi, the author of I Must and I will, The Spirit of Success, was one of the most revered businessmen in Africa.

The media mogul was born in 1944 in Kilimanjaro and was the chairman of Media Owners Association of Tanzania and Handeni Gold, Inc.

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Through IPP, Mr Mengi built IPP Media,, which owns ITV, East Africa TV, Capital TV, Radio One, East Africa Radio, and Capital FM.

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IPP has interests in Energy Tanzania Limited, Tanzanite Africa Limited, a gemstone mining company, Coca-Cola bottling and Infocom Limited, an IT solutions provider.