[1] A member of the Hehe people, he was of noble birth as the grandson of Chief Mkwawa, who was famed for resisting the Germans for seven years.

[5] In 1953, the governor of Tanganyika, Sir Edward Twining, located the skull in a German museum and returned it to Sapi in 1954.

[7] The return of the skull was completed at a ceremony in June 1954, which 30,000 members of the Hehe tribe attended and the Evening Sentinel described as "probably the biggest gathering ever to take place in Tanganyika.

[9][10] Sapi ended up serving as Speaker of the National Assembly until 25 April 1994, when he was succeeded by Pius Msekwa.

[1] He was described in his obituary by the Daily News as "the country's most decorated legislator, politician and leader.