Tanzania’s president, John Pombe Magufuli has succumbed to heart failure on Wednesday at 6 p.m. as he received treatment. The country announced 14 days mourning period. president apparently succumbed to heart failure.
The news for his death was announced by Tanzania vice-president Samia Suluhu Hassan in a televised address on Wednesday night that Magufuli had died of heart complications. She said that Magufuli was hospitalized on March 6 at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute.
“It is with great regret that I inform you that today, 17 March 2021, at 18:00, we have lost our courageous leader, President John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania,'' she announced.
Magufuli was elected as a member of Tanzanian Parliament in the mid’90s and gained popularity in 2010 after he was appointed as a Minister for works and transportation.
In 2015 Magufuli was elected as the president of the country and was re-elected in a vote in 2020. He served as the fifth President of Tanzania after taking office in 2015. Nicknamed ‘The Bulldozer’ Magufuli ‘s aggressive style of leadership broke the norm as compared to other African leaders, and saw him gain the admiration of many across the world
On social media, there has been speculation and rumours that the 61-year-old president contracted coronavirus and was airlifted to a Kenyan hospital for treatment before being transported to India the next day.
Just this week, four people were arrested for allegedly spreading this rumour. The government forced the newspaper that published this news to apologize and even change the story to the public
Previously, Tanzania president Magufuli had said for months that the virus was no longer present in Tanzania and that it had been defeated by prayer.
We send our deepest heartfelt condolences to our brothers and sisters in Tanzania and family on the passing of President Magufuli. May his soul rest in peace.
