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Status: 03/18/2021 12:55 am
Tanzanian President John Magufuli has died, officially he died of heart disease. But for days there have been rumors of a corona disease from the head of state, who did not take the pandemic so seriously.
From Antje Diekhans,
ARD-Studio Nairobi
Where is Magufuli? This is what people in Tanzania have been wondering for almost three weeks. At the end of February, the president of the East African country appeared for the last time in public. The government initially said that John Magufuli was fine, that he was very busy. However, in the evening, the vice president announced his death on state television.
Dear Citizens, I am very sorry to inform you that our brave leader, the President of the Republic of Tanzania, John Magufuli, died of heart disease in Dar es Salaam Hospital.
Antje Diekhans
ARD-Studio Nairobi
There will be doubts about the official cause of death. There have been rumors for days that the 61-year-old president was infected with the corona virus. Several members of the government and high-ranking officials had previously died from Covid-19. Magufuli had taken an extremely lax course in dealing with the pandemic.
Magufuli repeatedly downplayed the risk of coronavirus
Tanzania has not released figures on corona infections and deaths since May last year. The president repeatedly downplayed the dangers of the disease. “Don’t be afraid and don’t be intimidated by the coronavirus,” he said. “Let’s keep working. God is with us. He will save us.”
After three days of prayers, Magufuli declared the country crown free. Everything should continue to function normally, with no output restrictions or mounting bans. The holiday island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania became under this policy a hotspot for pandemic-weary partygoers from around the world.
Deal hard with adversaries
As in other questions, Magufuli did not allow criticism of his course. He ruled in Tanzania since 2015. Due to his harsh dealings with all adversaries, he was also called a bulldozer. In recent years, many opposition politicians and journalists have been arrested. Last year, Magufuli was confirmed in office in an election overshadowed by allegations of fraud. Then he thanked his followers.
I want to assure all the people of Tanzania that I will serve them. Regardless of the ethnic group or religion to which they belong. I am a president for everyone.
After his death, according to the constitution, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan will assume the government. He announced a fortnightly state of mourning. The date of the funeral has not yet been announced.
