• Vice president to occupy presidential seat
John Pombe Mangufuli, who became the President of Tanzania in 2015 has been confirmed dead. He died at the age of 61.
The country’s vice president Samia Suluhu Hassan (Mrs) announced his death, after weeks of his uncertain whereabouts and health status.
Hassan made the announcement in a televised broadcast to the nation on Wednesday. He said the president died of a “heart condition” which he suffered for 10 years in Dar-Es-Salaam.
Flags flew at half-mast in Tanzania, as the country began a 14day mourning period.
“Mangufuli, had been briefly admitted to Jakaya Kikwetw Cardaic Institute on March 6, but was discharged subsequently,” Hassan said on television; “but was rushed to hospital on March 14, owing to the critical state of his health.”
According to Tanzania constitution, Hassan, 61, should assume office to complete the five year term that mangufuli began serving last year after winning a second term. She is set to become the first female president of the country.
The announcement of the president death came after government denial that the president was ill. Pressure mounted for his unexplained absence for almost three weeks, which generated much tension, and rumors. He was seeking treatment abroad for Covid 19.
However, Tundu Lissu, main opposition leader, who exiled in Belgium, after escaping assasination attempt, shot 16 times, described Mangufuli death as “poetic justice”, insisting his sources said that he had succumbed to Covid 19.
“Mangufuli died of Corona, that is one, number two, Mangufuli did not die this evening. I have information from basically the same source which told me he was gravely ill. I have information that Mangufuli has been dead since Wednesday last week,” he told Kenya’s KTN News, using local slangz for the virus.
Nevertheless, Mangufuli had last appeared in public on February 27 and top government officials had denied that he was in ill health, even as speculation swirled online that he was sick and possibly incapacitated from the disease.
Until his death, Mangufuli was a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has been in power since independence from Britain in the early 1960’s.
A member of the parliament since 1995, he held various cabinet portfolios, including livestock, fisheries and public works, where he earned the name “Bulldozer”.
Mangufuli was survived by his wife Janeth Mangufuli, and five children.
Lolo Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News
