DODOMA: Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has passed away at the age of 61, the country’s vice-president has announced.
President Magufuli died of cardiac arrest on Wednesday at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an address on state television.
“It is with deep regret that I inform you that today… we lost our brave leader, the president of the Republic of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli,” Vice-President Hassan said in the announcement.
Rumors had been circulating about his health as Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks.
Even though opposition politicians said last week that he had contracted Covid-19, it has not been confirmed.
Magufuli was one of Africa’s most prominent coronavirus sceptics, and called for prayers and herbal-infused steam therapy to counter the virus.
(With inputs from BBC)
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