After weeks of speculation over his health and little to no clarification from the Tanzanian government, on Wednesday, President John Magufuli died at the age of 61 at a hospital in Dar es Salaam. The official cause of death has bee reported as chronic atrial fibrillation, though many have speculated that Magufuli died from COVID-19.
As per Article 37(2) of the Tanzanian constitution, he has been replaced by Vice President (VP) Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is Tanzania’s first female leader and will hold the position until the 2025 election. In her inauguration speech, Hassan declared 14 days of mourning.
Magufuli had not been seen in public since February 24, and there was unconfirmed speculation that he had been receiving treatment for a respiratory illness in Nairobi, Kenya and even rumours that he had been transferred to a medical facility in India.
Amidst all this uncertainty, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa insisted that the President was “in good health” and “working”. Despite calls from the opposition for Magufuli to make a public appearance to dismiss fears, Majaliwa responded, “The president has his own work schedule and can’t appear under your direction.”
Magufuli was first elected as a member of parliament (MP) in 1995. After this, he serves as the Deputy Minister of Works from 1995 to 2006, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement from 2006 to 2008, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries from 2008 to 2010, and minister of Works once again from 2010 to 2015.
He was then elected as President in 2015 and was re-elected for a second term in October, with 84% of the votes. However, the opposition alleged that the election was ‘fraudulent’, with multiple reports of pre-filled ballots, ballot stuffing, and opposition polling agents being denied into voting stations. In addition, over 100 organizations that have traditionally monitored electoral proceedings in Tanzania were barred from monitoring the 2020 vote. Magufuli also fast-tracked a legislation that bans all forms of digital protests, whereby organizing, planning, or even supporting any form of demonstration on the internet has now been deemed illegal.
His replacement, Hassan, is expected to face challenges from Magufuli loyalists within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Hassan hails from the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar and has been the VP since 2015, prior to which he has a minister of state in the former VP’s office. Seeing as she is Muslim and hails from Zanzibar, which is roughly 99% Muslim, she is expected to face stiff opposition from Christian nationalists within the CCM.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who lost against Magufuli under dubious circumstances in the October election, said that Magufuli’s death was “poetic justice”, alleging that the President had not died from a heart disease but from the coronavirus. Lissu said, “President Magufuli defied the world on the struggle against COVID-19. He defied the East African community, he defied all our neighbours. He defied science. He refused to take the basic precautions that people all over the world are being told to take in the fight against COVID-19.”
Lissu added, “He did not wear a face mask. He actually denigrated anyone who wore a face mask. He did not believe in vaccines. He did not believe in science. He placed his faith in faith healers and herbal concoctions of dubious medical value.” said Lissu. “And what has happened? He went down with COVID-19. And now they are telling us he had heart disease. It is corona.”
Lissu’s claims are not without merit. Last year, Magufuli declared that three days of national prayers had “eliminated” the “devil” of the coronavirus” from the country. In truth, however, the government stopped releasing any official data on the virus after April 29. He has since placed his trust in “local herbs” and claimed that “vaccinations are dangerous”. He also refused to place lockdown restrictions on churches or mosques and spoke out against wearing face masks.
Therefore, given Magufuli’s continued and overwhelming reluctance to accept the presence or threat of the coronavirus or implement adequate containment measures, it is not beyond reason to suggest that the government could be attempting to cover up the true cause of death if he indeed did die from COVID-19.
The opposition leader went onto describe Magufuli’s death as a “rare opportunity” for Tanzania to “open a new chapter”, saying, “Magufuli in the five years he was president caused havoc to our country. There are so many people who have been killed in the five years. There are many people who have been injured, tortured, persecuted. I barely escaped with my life.”
Despite Lissu’s criticism, condolences and commemorations have poured in from leaders across Africa, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, former Kenyan Prime Minister (PM) Raila Odinga, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, among others.
In fact, Kenyan President Kenyatta declared seven days of national mourning and directed the Kenyan flag and the flag of the East African Community to flown at half-mast to honour Magufuli. Rwandan President Kagame also declared a day of national mourning and ordered the Rwandan flag and the East African Community flag to be flown at half-mast. Outside of Africa, British PM Boris Johnson, the United States (US) State Department, and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, among others, have also extended their condolences.
Regardless of the cause of death, Magufuli’s death leaves a gaping hole in Tanzanian politics and his sudden death leaves the government in a precarious position, especially considering that Magufuli was only re-elected a few months ago.
Tanzanian President Magufuli Dies From Heart Disease, Opposition Claims it was COVID-19
Tanzanian President John Magufuli died at the age of 61 on Wednesday and has been replaced by VP Samia Suluhu Hassan.
March 19, 2021
The now-former Tanzanian President John Magufuli SOURCE: CENTRAL FIFE TIMES