Continue to Rest in Peace Prof. Words cannot explain the pain I go through everyday. It is well.

It's now 3 years since you left us Prof, we still feel the pain of your absence. We still weep for you, our father figure, our mentor. May your soul continue to rest in perfect peace, You are always in our hearts. Sadly missed.

May your dear soul continue to rest in peace. I will always remember you as my mentor and boss.

We continue to miss you Prof Hakim, may your soul rest in peace. Some times I still weep when I remember how we lived our professional and social life. I miss the big brother support, the mentoring the encouragement. We are in prayer this time for the family. Just to let you know, Phoebe is trying to be strong but it is not easy, every thing has been maintained as you left, Erick has a second baby, Frank has been engaged to his girl friend and Neil is doing his post graduate training in Dar es salaam and Collin is with mom. Colleagues in Zimbabwe held a memorial function for you last month although I was away in Juba I sent them your biography. We miss you dearly James, may your spirit keep us working and continue what you started
Rest in peace
Wani

You remain always in our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers dear Prof Hakim. We continue to be inspired by you. We miss you.

Forever remembered. May his soul continue to rest in eternal peace

Time flies. Its now 1 year since you were promoted to Glory. Life will never be the same without you Prof. May you continue to Rest In Peace.

We continue to mourn your loss dear James and to be inspired by your life and legacy . Although it is a year you remain very much alive in our memories and we still cannot quite believe you are not coming back to this earth . We continue to try to follow what you taught us and to be so grateful to have known you . Yours was a great life to celebrate and give thanks for. From all at King’s College London who knew you , and from the TENDAI team . Our sincere thoughts go to your wife and sons and to all your friends, colleagues and patients

One year gone Prof James Hakim, your legacy lives forever. Rest easy......

No James, No!

Prof James G Hakim - a teacher, mentor and father in the profession.
Your intentional catch up conversations at annual meetings were food for my soul to be encouraged to continue working in the environ we do as medical specialists on the African Continent.  You always inspired and encouraged me to maintain vision and zeal in quality medical care provision and to continue engage in clinical research to maintain the knowledge of medical science and expertise. We will continue to live out your wise counsel in your honour. 
Sincere condolences to Mrs Hakim and Family - we are very appreciative of your generosity to allow Prof Hakim to soar and impact many lives as he has done positively. May God console you like only He knows best.

Nearly 2 weeks on I can still hardly believe James has gone. Echoing words of many others, James was such a wonderful giant of a man - colleague, trusted friend, full of wisdom and yet very humble. We all listened when he spoke and his smile always lit up a room. I feel so privileged to have worked with him for so many years and experienced the ups and downs of doing trials together, including the celebrations - truly wonderful.
I will never forget the kindness he and Phoebe showed to me and my son Jack (then aged 10, now aged 30) when we came together to set up the DART trial. James said - ‘why not - Jack can join the football team of my 4 boys’. This was a hard time in Zimbabwe and James took personal risks setting up this trial and had such amazing commitment and vision. And much loved by staff, patients and so many colleagues around the world.
It has been such a privilege to know James. We all miss him at MRC CTU and send many condolences to Phoebe and the boys.

Di Gibb, MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL London

Dear James - we are so sad that you have departed. It is still hard to take it in, even after two weeks. We learnt so much from you, but we all had so much more still to learn. We cannot quite believe that we will not see you again or hear your wise words in this lifetime. Thank-you from me personally and on behalf of all on the TENDAI research team and on behalf of the Centre for Global Mental Health at King's College London for working with us. As others have said, you were a unique leader, a brilliant clinical scientist and mentor, humble, welcoming and empowering of all around you, whatever their background. A man whom others always wanted to listen to because every word gave a new impetus. I was very fortunate to work with you for 11 years. You will be greatly missed. Sincere condolences to your wife and family.

Tributes and condolences have been sent from the research teams and individuals that collaborated with James over the past 20 years. James’s colleagues have lost a humble and empowering leader, scientist, teacher, mentor, colleague and dear friend. His passing is a terrible loss for the global HIV community. The teams offer their deepest condolences to the family and their Zimbabwean colleagues at this sad and tragic time. He will be sorely missed by all.

- From colleagues and friends from the ODYSSEY and CHAPAS 4 trials teams (MRC CTU, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, PENTA and European teams)

James was my close friend and classmate from 1974 to 1979 at Makerere Medical School. He inspired and helped me join the post graduate program at the University of Nairobi where I joined him in the department of internal medicine for the first year in 1983 (he was in second year then) before I switched to Pediatrics, which had been my preferred specialty all along, in the second year. He remained a close family friend ever since, and throughout his and my professional career movements we kept in close touch. Him and his wife Phoebe would be unhappy whenever I went to Harare and stayed in a hotel. I was planning to pay this tribute to his family and friends at the burial in Juba, but been advised against travel. I am sad that I have not been able to bury my friend. My family and I have missed a true friend. We are praying for his soul and for strength and resilience for his wife Phoebe and their children.

If you were to ask who I would most like to emulate as a HIV investigator and educator, I would say Prof. Hakim. He was a brilliant investigator, but humble. He was a fierce advocate for equality and advancement of African investigators and always respectful in his approach. We was soft spoken but his words carried, motivating all of those around him. I was privileged to work with him for 2 decades and even more so, to call him a friend. I will miss him but his legacy will live on through all of people he has influenced over the years. MHSRIP

Prof Hakim, so humble and a good listener. Never really announced himself except by deeds. Since my appointment as the Executive Director Research and Innovation at the University of Zimbabwe, Prof Hakim and his team kept me on my toes. There was so much activity going on and I will definitely feel the gap. Thank you for being a father and mentor. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.

James was a wonderful man, a great friend. His boundless humour, his fantastic smile, the joy he brought. Such a massive void. I always looked forward to catching up with him. A giant as a human, and an incredible doctor. Through his work he saved countless lives in both the HIV and cardiology spheres. Will be sorely missed

I am short of words,Prof Hakim was a father ,mentor,pillar of strength. I did not anticipate the grim reaper's call on him. He impacted lots of lives including mine . May the good Lord comfort the Hakim family and us all.
MHDSRIEP.

A Giant Has Departed
Prof Hakim was a great mentor, teacher, an epitome of humility, compassionate human being.
He taught me how to pay attention to detail, encouraged me to be a reader to follow through my visions. He had respect for everyone regardless of their place. The researcher that Iam today is because of Prof Hakim.
He introduced me to the ACTG Research gurus and taught me "servant " leadership.
May the Lord comfort his family
Go well Great Professor.Will be greatly missed.
Your Legacy lives on!!!

Prof, words fail me. What an intelligent, wise, humble, hardworking and gentle man you were. You would send emails past midnight when some of us are in dreamland. An allrounder who had respect, recognition and time for everyone even us at the lowest positions. You introduced me to 'Zotero', and encouraged me to learn more about it. I did and am still learning, and one day I will be an expert, like you wanted me to be. You gave me opportunities that I never had in my life, for that I am so grateful and thankful. You always had new ideas, you never ran out of solutions, even when a difficult situation comes, I was confident you would solve it in a diplomatic way, a rare breed you were.
When the message came on 26 Jan, I thought someone would say it was a mistake, I thought I was dreaming, but the following morning I woke up to more messages, and I realised it was no error. Prof, we are shattered, devastated and broken. You left us in the cold. Kuda kwaMwari hakuna anoramba..

Till we meet again, you are always missed and FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

A true gentle man, honourable, generous, a broad friendly smile, a tragic loss.

Living in the U.S. I worked with James designing and implementing HIV/AIDS research. I knew him as one who exhibited the highest integrity and a most welcoming nature to all he encountered. Whenever I see my neighbors who are from Harare I often mention his name with immense respect. Rest peacefully James -

It would be impossible to count all the doors that Prof Hakim opened in my career. I am so grateful that he took me under his wing. His mentorship was one of the most pivotal of my life. 

May you rest easy in grace and love.

Prof JG Hakim was a great man. He was a role model to many. He allowed many of us to stand on his shoulders to view the world. He shared what he had with others. I learned a lot from him as my supervisor and comentor as well as PI of MEPI. To me he went home too soon and I know it's even worse for his family, colleagues and the many people  he worked closely with. May Jehova God comfort and strengthen us all and be a husband to his widow and father to his now fatherless children.

It is very sad for me to learn of the passing of Prof James Hakim. Prof Hakim has been a great scientist and mentor to many people. His work in clinical medicine, particularly in the era of HIV/AIDS has contributed significantly to knowledge in the field which has been applied to more recent innovations in patient care. I worked very closely with Prof Hakim when I served as Lab Director for the UZ-UCSF program. He was gentle, simple, loving and caring to all his staff and patients. We all miss him. Our Condolences to his family and may His Soul Rest in Peace. The Lord will guide and protect us all, particularly at this time.

It was very sad hear to hear about the untimely death of Prof. Hakim.
Prof. James Hakim was a legend, distinguished physician, accomplished researcher and great teacher. Despite his great accomplishments, he was humble and approachable. May his legacy live on through his family, his students, mentees and institutions where he served.  Africa and the scientific community have lost a giant, he shall be greatly missed.

We pray for his family. May God provide comfort in this difficult and tragic time. May His soul rest in eternal peace

It is very sad to learn of the passing away of Prof James Hakim. Prof Hakim was such an accomplished physician and researcher, and yet so humble and approachable. The African continent and the global HIV world have lost a great pillar. Sincere condolences to Prof Hakim's family and health fraternity in Zimbabwe, where he worked for a long time. Prof Hakim will be greatly missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Dr. Victor Musiime, Associate Professor, Makerere University; Senior Research Consultant, Joint Clinical Research Centre, Kampala, Uganda

It is very sad .Rest in peace Prof Hakim.

A giant has departed. Prof I was waiting to hear someone saying this was not true. Alas, this was not to be. You left a big hole not to be filled by anyone. You never ran out of ideas, even where many of us were stranded you rescued us. You had so many visions. You did not want people to read your mind. You were ready to help, even when the lowest position was struggling you would find time to do the task with them. I remember we fell into the same predicament same time, tested positive on the 5th Jan. You asked me what medication I was given by the doctors. When I described it to you said, "those are fine, I was worried they could give you some of the unsafe medication out there". Such was your willingness to know the welfare of others.
To mai Hakim and family we are with you in our prayers. May God take and replace the vacant seat left by Prof Hakim. Fambai zvakanaka, till we meet again.

I was privileged to work with Prof James on the DART, ARROW, EARNEST and REALITY trials from 2002 onwards. As many have said, he was a humble man, but with a huge intellect; a kind man, but with enormous integrity; and a generous man with a gentle smile which lit up his face and the room - one of the pictures posted here shows this better than words! I am very grateful to have known him, and he leaves the world a far better place than had he never lived in it. A fitting tribute to a life well lived.

African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) mourns the passing of James Hakim, Professor of Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences and a member of our Governing Council. This has come as a shock to us. James Hakim one of those who crafted the Acronym AFREhealth. The AFREhealth community has lost a dynamic giant in medicine and an icon of medical research in Africa. He was a well versed, researcher, educator, clinician, a great HIV scientist and humanitarian. We are proud of his achievements in health professions education in our continent. James was a mentor, leader and excellent speaker and his demise is a loss for science and medicine.
We his AFREhealth Colleagues, describe him as one with an astonishing intellect and a gentle sense of humour. He was a friend to all.
James was an active AFREhealth member who had the passion to see the Organisation grow. He was also very supportive of the the student exchange (GEMx) program in Africa and has been part of the student advisory committee.
He was a blessing to all who crossed paths with him.
This is such a great loss to AFREhealth
May his gentle soul rest in peace.
Our heartfelt condolences go to his family and close friends.
Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde
Vice President
AFREhealth

Prof Hakim was such a wonderful person to work for. He was very intelligent, a great leader, researcher, a great man, humble being, a fatherly figure, full of energy and full of life. He would send e-mails very late when some of us were sleeping but he never showed any signs of fatigue when he came to the office. Covid 19 has robbed me of a boss whom I worked with since 2003 under the DART Study, University of Zimbabwe Clinical Research Centre as his secretary until he was promoted to Glory. I was not perfect during our journey of life together, but he never raised his voice, he would explain where I was confused with a smile. I say to his wife Phoebe, take care of the boys who are now men. May the Holy Spirit direct you. RIP Prof Hakim, tears may dry but memories will never fade away.

Professor James Gita Hakim

Physician. Academic. Teacher. Mentor. Revolutionary. Husband. Father. Grandfather. Friend...
These are all words that describe Professor James Hakim, but they truly don’t do him any justice.
And while I can’t testify about his personal walk with God, one thing that will always stand out for me was how every grant and project of his had a correlating Bible scripture attached to it. It showed me that even this great father of research acknowledged that we have a Great Heavenly Father, and forever, I will be inspired by that.

Professor James G Hakim was a great and humble teacher, mentor and leader. He ensured that everyone around him had the opportunity to share ideas and learn from each other. It was a privilege to work with him as he led our teams with great wisdom, knowledge and expertise. He will forever be missed. May his legacy continue to live amongst us. Thank you Mrs. Hakim and family for lending him to us when we had him amongst us. May you find comfort knowing that he impacted many lives and we will forever cherish his work and efforts in all he did.

Fabbie Mapinge