World leaders pay tribute to late Tanzanian leader John Magufuli
Shock in Tanzania as world leaders pay tribute to John Magufuli. South African President Cyril Rampahosa conveyed his country’s condolences to Tanzania over the death of President Magufuli.
One of Africa’s most prominent COVID-19 skeptics, died of heart failure. His vice president Samia Suluhu Hassan announced Wednesday night.
“I spoke to Her Excellency, Vice-President Hassan, this morning and conveyed the condolences of the people of South Africa to the government and the people of Tanzania, our sister country, on their loss. As we all know, Tanzania is a country that stood with us during our struggle for freedom and sacrificed a lot, halting and delaying their own development so that we could be free”, Ramaphosa said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said via Twitter:
“I have, with great sadness, learnt of the death of His Excellency John Pombe Magufuli. He was a pragmatic leader who believed in and worked for the economic empowerment of East Africans. We join Tanzania in mourning the passing of a great son of Africa. May his soul rest in peace.”
In Nairobi, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta also paid his respect.
“On the continental stage, the late president Magufuli was a champion of pan-Africanism. In the passing on of President Magufuli, I have lost a friend, a colleague, and a visionary ally”, Kenyatta said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweets he ‘is sorry to hear’ about the death of Tanzanian President John Magufuli.
”My thoughts are with his loved ones, and the people of Tanzania”, he said.
Tanzanian Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to be sworn in to succeed Magufuli and complete his second five-year term.
She will be Tanzania’s first female head of state.
