Tanzanians throng Magufuli's hometown for final funeral, burial

Hundreds of thousands of Tanzanians have converged in Chato, hometown of former president John Pombe Magufuli, for the final funeral rites of the leader who died last week.

Today's burial in Magufuli's village marks the end of a weeklong funeral which saw his body taken around the country for people to pay their final respects.

His successor, President Samia Suluhu Hassan is leading the final funeral rites in Chato.

She posted a message on Twitter which read: "Today as we lay to rest our beloved President Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli; on behalf of the People of the United Republic of Tanzania and on my own behalf i would like to thank fellow Compatriots; National Leaders, Religious Leaders, Political Leaders, Diplomatic Community, Media Houses, artists, musicians and everyone who has supported comforted and sent us condolence messages during this difficult and trying times for our nation. May our good Lord grant our beloved late President eternal peace. Amen."

On Monday, about ten African leaders were in the capital Dodoma for the second national funeral which took place at the Jamhuri Stadium.

According to government, the 61-year-old president succumbed to heart complications even though an exiled opposition leader insists he had died after contracting coronavirus - which he had severally claimed the country had no cases of.

He joins a tall list of African presidents who have died in office. In recent times, Burundi lost outgoing president Pierre Nkurunziza last year. In Ivory Coast, two Prime Ministers have been lost between mid-2020 and March 2021.

Media Houses, artists, musicians and everyone who has supported comforted and sent us condolence messages during this difficult and trying times for our nation. May our good Lord grant our beloved late President eternal peace. Amen.

— Samia Suluhu (@SuluhuSamia) March 26, 2021