Categories: NewsPolitics

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has died aged 61, the country’s vice-president has announced.



He died on Wednesday from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an address on state television.

Mr Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumours had been circulating about his health.

Opposition politicians said last week that he had contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed.

Mr Magufuli was one of Africa’s most prominent coronavirus sceptics, and called for prayers and herbal-infused steam therapy to counter the virus.

“It is with deep regret that I inform you that today… we lost our brave leader, the president of the Republic of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli,” Vice-President Hassan said in the announcement.

She said there would be 14 days of national mourning and flags would fly at half mast.

The cautionary tale of the president who denied coronavirus
Africa Live: Tributes paid to Magufuli
John Magufuli in his own words
Obituary: Tanzania’s ‘bulldozer’ president John Magufuli
According to Tanzania’s constitution, Ms Hassan will be sworn in as the new president within 24 hours and should serve the remainder of Mr Magufuli’s five-year term which he began last year.

Mr Magufuli was last seen in public on 27 February, but Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa insisted last week that the president was “healthy and working hard”.

He blamed the rumours of the president’s ill-health on “hateful” Tanzanians living abroad.

But opposition leader Tundu Lissu told the BBC that his sources had told him Mr Magufuli was being treated in hospital for coronavirus in Kenya.

line
John Magufuli at a glance
Image copyrightREUTERSJohn Pombe Magufuli after being elected president (October 30, 2015)
Image captionMagufuli was first elected president in 2015
Born in Chato, north-west Tanzania, in 1959
Studied chemistry and maths at the University of Dar es Salaam
Worked as a chemistry and maths teacher
First elected as an MP in 1995
Became a cabinet minister in 2000
First elected president in 2015
line
When Covid-19 arrived in Tanzania, Mr Magufuli called on people to go to churches and mosques to pray. “Coronavirus, which is a devil, cannot survive in the body of Christ… It will burn instantly,” he said.

He declared Tanzania “Covid-19 free” last June, saying the virus had been eradicated by three days of national prayer.

He also mocked the efficacy of masks, expressed doubts about testing, and teased neighbouring countries which imposed health measures to curb the virus.

“Countries in Africa will be coming here to buy food in the years to come… they will be suffering because of shutting down their economy,” he said, according to the Associated Press.

Tanzania has not published details of its coronavirus cases since May, and the government has refused to purchase vaccines.

Ebony9ja Media

A blogger and a social media influencer

Recent Posts

ECJP Confers Prestigious Merit Award on James Oche

  In recognition of his contribution to peace, justice, security and development of Benue State…

2 weeks ago

MY PACT WITH NIGERIAN STUDENTS.

  Fellow compatriots, I bring you solidarity greetings in the spirit of our bond and…

4 weeks ago

Agada Onyeje: Idoma’s Business Icon of the Year

On January 1st, 2025, the spotlight will shine on Agada Onyeje as she will honored…

4 weeks ago

FREE MEDICAL OUTREACH ALERT FOR EDUMOGA COMMUNITIES IN OKPOKWU LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL, BENUE STATE…

    Edumoga Rescue Mission, under the leadership of Dr Eche Eche Bartholomew Ijiko, is…

4 weeks ago

Popular lawyer and activist shøt dêad in Benue

An Otukpo based lawyer and activist, Mike Ofikwu has been gruesomely murdered by unknown armed…

1 month ago

EVEN IF THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND FRENCH, I LAUGHED AT THE WAY THEY BENT THERE WAIST TO IT. NIGERIANS ARE FREE-SPIRITED PEOPLE!!!

  - Awilo Locomba   As an artist from a very small African country, I…

1 month ago