By Audrey Lotechukwu
THUR 18 MARCH, 2021-theGBJournal- President Muhammadu Buhari today sent a powerful condolence message to the Government and people of Republic of Tanzania who are mourning the passing of their president John Pombe Magufuli, 61, who died Wednesday of from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.
President Buhari in the message recalled the Magufuli’s ‘’legacy of patriotism and dedication to the African course,’’ which he says will ‘’continue to resonate across the continent.’’
Buhari said he believes the late Tanzanian President’s courage and love for his country inspired various reforms that generations will continue to celebrate, which include the challenging decision to reduce size and cost of governance, insistence on a people focused budget, with clear priorities on education and health, and consistently fighting profligacy and frivolities in public expenditures.
In the message, President Buhari noted that the late Magufuli spent most of his life serving the country and humanity, with a rich pedigree of working as a school teacher, and rising steadily in public service as Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Works, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement and Minister of Livestock and Fisheries.
The death of Magufuli, a prominent COVID-19 sceptic who was last seen in public on 27 February, was made official after weeks of rumours about his health.
Tanzanian Vice President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan said he died of heart complications. The country’s government has declared 14 days of mourning and the flag would fly at half mast.
Ms Hassan is expected to be sworn in as the new president within 24 hours, according to Tanzania’s constitution.
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