African leaders commiserate with Tanzania over president’s death

Tanzanian president John Pombe Magufuli was declared dead yesterday in a statement issued by his deputy, Samia Suluhu.

The announcement ended spreading social media rumours about the whereabouts of the 61-year-old president who had won a resounding second five-year term late last year.

A number of African leaders sent their words of condolence and commisseration to the government and people of the East African nation on their loss.

“My sincere condolences to the people and Government of #Tanzania on the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli. May he Rest In Peace,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed posted on Twitter this morning.

Hours after the announcement, the Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed posted a condolence tweet in Kiswahili.

The translation of which read: “On my behalf and on behalf of the Government and the nation of Somalia, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the United Republic of #Tanzania for the loss of President John Magufuli. We wish the nation and the Government patience and stability in this period of prayer and mourning.”

Other leaders to have sent their condolences include Uganda’s Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

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 pic.twitter.com/bzm188cKgF

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) March 18, 2021

I am terribly saddened to learn of the passing of my friend & brother H.E John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of #Tanzania. My thoughts & prayers go out to the Government and People of Tanzania & his Family for the loss of a Great Leader, a true Panafricanist.

— SE Evariste Ndayishimiye (@GeneralNeva) March 18, 2021

PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DEATH OF DR. JOHN POMBE MAGUFULI (PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA) SOLEMNLY ISSUED AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI ON THE 18TH DAY OF MARCH, 2021

Read more: https://t.co/MV2w7EyU3E pic.twitter.com/AXhA06uwvt

— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) March 18, 2021