JOHN Pombe Magufuli, the President of Tanzania, has died of Corona.
The announcement of his death was made by Vice President Samia Suluhu tonight on the national broadcaster (TBC).
Magufuli has been suffering since late February and has been hospitalised in an undisclosed hospital, with the government keeping silent on his condition and whereabouts, denying every report about his sickness.
The vice president said Magufuli died of a “heart attack” this evening at Mzena State Hospital after having previously undergone treatment at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute. But highly-placed sources immediately told SAUTI KUBWA that it was COVID-19 infections that had triggered his cardiac complications.
The nation will observe 14 days of mourning, she said. Preparations for his burial are under way. (It was later corrected. 21 days were observed as per constitution).
Magufuli has been in power since 2015 and has been running the country like his own private business, in the most corrupt, brutal and dictatorial regime ever experienced in Tanzania.
Even as his close aides succumbed to Corona in a rapid succession, Magufuli kept on denying the existence of the pandemic in his country; and when he was eventually forced by the reality to concede, he told his people to ignore face masks and vaccine. Instead, he told them to pray to God.
More news to follow.
