Tanzania's Magufuli funeral: 3 public viewings, burial day declared holiday

Tanzania will on March 25 hold the funeral and burial of late President John Magufuli. He will be buried in his western home village of Chato, his successor has announced.

Government said the 61-year-old died on Wednesday from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam. Government declared two weeks of national mourning.

Magufuli's deputy Samia Suluhu Hassan has since been sworn in as substantive president of the East African country in what has been hailed as a seamless transition.

There will be a total of three public viewing before the final burial rites and the day of the burial has been slated as a national holiday.

Local media outlets report that the first public viewing will be at the Uhuru stadium in the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam.

A second is scheduled in the capital, Dodoma, on Monday, which has been declared a public holiday.

The final public viewing will be on Tuesday in the western town of Mwanza before the body is taken to Chato, Magufuli's home town.

The divisive former leader had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, the last he was sighted in public was February 27. Social media rumours swirled over his health, with opposition politicians saying he had contracted Covid-19.