He was elected by a landslide in 2010 as the member of parliament for Kalenga constituency, receiving 31,421 votes (84.39%).

In May 2012, President Jakaya Kikwete appointed him as the Minister of Finance.

He died on 1 January 2014 at Kloof Medi-Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa where he was undergoing treatment.

[2][3] His body was repatriated to Dar es Salaam on 4 January and lay in repose at Karimjee Hall the next day.

He was buried on Monday 6 January at his home village of Magunga in Iringa Region.