BREAKING: The President of Tanzania, John Magufuli is dead

The President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli, is dead. He died at the age of 61.

John Magufuli

His death was confirmed in a state address by the Vice-President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan.

As indicated by her, Magufuli died of a heart condition at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.

“It is with deep regret that I inform you that today on the 17th of March, 2021 at 6 pm we lost our brave leader, the President of the Republic of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli,” she said.

Magufuli has not been seen in public for over two weeks, and there have been rumours in circulation about his health.

Opposition politicians declared recently that he had contracted Covid-19, yet this has not been affirmed.

The Vice-President declared that there would be 14 days of national mourning and flags would fly at half-mast.

Magufuli was proclaimed president on his 56th birthday celebration in October 2015.

John Pombe Magufuli was born 29 October, 1959. He was a Tanzanian politician, who served as the fifth President of Tanzania from 2015 until his death on 17th March, 2021.

He served as Minister of Works, Transport and Communications and was chairman of the Southern African Development Community.

Running as the candidate of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the country’s dominant party, he won the October 2015 presidential election and was sworn in on 5 November 2015.

Magufuli earned his bachelor of science in education degree majoring in chemistry and mathematics as teaching subjects from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1988.

He also earned his masters and doctorate degrees in chemistry from The University of Dar es Salaam, in 1994 and 2009, respectively.

In late 2019, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Dodoma for improving the economy of the country.

He was married to Janeth Magufuli, a primary school teacher, and had three children together.