JOHN Magufuli was the former president of Tanzania. An announcement was made about Magufuli’s whereabouts after he spent several weeks out of the public eye. Who is John Magufuli? John Magufuli was a Tanzanian politician and the fifth President of Tanzania. He came into office in 2015 and was the chairman of the South African […]
JOHN Magufuli was the former president of Tanzania.
An announcement was made about Magufuli’s whereabouts after he spent several weeks out of the public eye.
John Magufuli was a Tanzanian politician and the fifth President of Tanzania.
He came into office in 2015 and was the chairman of the South African Development Community
He served as Minister of Works, Transport and Communications from 2000 to 2005.
He was nicknamed The Bulldozer for his hardline stance against corruption and tough policies.
Magufuli was a firm Covid-19 denier. He urged his citizens to “pray coronavirus away,” believing the “satanic virus can’t live in the body of Jesus Christ,” and blaming the growing number of positive cases on faulty test kits.
Tanzania hasn’t reported Covid-19 figures since April 2020.
Magufuli died in hospital in Dar es Salaam, the country’s vice president announced in a televised address on March 17, 2021.
The president was just 61-years-old.
“President John Magufuli died of a heart ailment that he has battled for over 10 years,” Samia Suluhu Hassan said, and declared 14 days of national mourning.
He had not been seen since February 27, despite making weekly appearances at Sunday church services.
Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe offered his condolences to Magufuli’s family.
“This is an unprecedented moment for our United Republic of Tanzania, and one that will undoubtedly move us all in very personal ways,” the leader of the ACT-Wazalendo party said in a statement.
“My immediate thoughts are with Mama Janeth, and the whole family of our deceased President.”
My fellow Tanzanians, let us continue to pray for patience and understanding. This is a moment to show our maturity and integrity as a nation,” Kabwe added.
Hassan is now the acting president of Tanzania, and although she has yet to be sworn in, she will become Tanzania’s first female president.
Hassan, 61, is a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party.
She is from the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, which is about 99% Muslim.
Hassan has served in the government of Zanzibar in different capacities. She became the country’s first vice president in 2015, and prior to that, she was a minister of state under the vice-president’s office.
