John Magufuli: Tanzania’s President dies aged 61

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has died at a hospital in Dar es Salaam,on Wednesday 17^th of March.He died from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan (the then vice-president) said in an address on state television.Mr Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumours had been rife about his health.Prior to his death, Magufuli had not been seen in public for over two weeks, prompting speculation that he may have been suffering from COVID-19, which he had repeatedly denied was a problem in Tanzania. The government has blamed Magufuli’s death on heart problems. 

Opposition politicians said 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. 

According to Tanzania’s constitution, Ms Hassan had since been sworned in as the new president within 24 hours and would serve the remainder of Mr Magufuli’s five-year term which he began last year. 

Mr Magufuli 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.The country is in a sombre mood – for the first time in its six decades of existence,Tanzania has lost a sitting president, John Pombe Magufuli. 

The news of his death was received with shock and disbelief.From his home district of Chato to the capital of Dodoma to the business hub of Dar es Salaam, most Tanzanians have been mourning Magufuli.John Pombe Magufuli was the son of a peasant farmer and becme Tanzania’s president in 2015. He had since been giving a state burial.Some residents wept and threw flowers on the coffin which was pulled by a military vehicle. 

President Samia, led the government procession in which many wore black or green and yellow to represent the colours of the ruling party. A great son of Africa. He was an independent leader who refused to bow to foreign powers. An anti-corruption crusader, a man loved by his people. A COVID-19 denier. A budding authoritarian. Across the African continent and the world, reactions are streaming in — both loving and searing — over the death of Tanzanian President John Magufuli.

A gap hard to fill 

For those who admired the populist leader,the gap he has left on the political stage will be hard to fill. “What I can say about our president is that when we say he left a vacuum, we really mean that,” Tanzania’s speaker of the national assembly, Job Ndugai, said. “He was someone who loved Tanzania. He sacrificed a lot for Tanzanians. His contribution to Tanzania’s development is immense, especially in the infrastructure sector — roads, airports, ports, air transport, building vessels on lakes, our ocean. Indeed he has served Tanzanians,” But for those who questioned Magufuli’s leadership style, particularly his icy relationship with the media and erosion of democratic rights,this could be an opportunity to usher in a new political era. “I am not saying that he disliked the media. In my opinion, he was wary of the press,” Salum Vuai, a sociologist,said. Finally,a message to Nigeria’s rulers. As you can see how Tanzanians are mourning their late leader and mentor. Goodness God, the pain they feel! He is the kind of leader we are yearning for,not those selfish set of rulers we have that are sorrounded by praise singers, who sing according to the number of meal they get per day.NO LEADER IN NIGERIA WILL BE MISSED when they pass.Well, Nigerians have the opportunity to right the wrong in 2023,let’s think outside the box and elect intellectuals and technocrats,not career Politicians who sees leadership as an employment opportunity.Rest in perfect peace great son of Africa John Pombe Magufuli