Mourners receiving Magufuli’s body [Photo: The Standard]
The body of the late Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has been flown to Chato in Geita region for the public to pay their last respect.
According to a programme released by current President Samia Suluhu, a burial mass will be held at a Ctaholic Church on Friday, after which Magufuli will be buried at his home in Chato.
Speaking during the service Zanzibar’s second vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdullah described the late Magufuli as a peace seeking leader.
During the weekend, his body was in Dar es Salaam for viewing. It was then moved to Dodoma on Monday for the last repects, and proceeded to Zanzibar on Tuesday. Today, it lays-in-state in Mwanza, after which it will be transported to Chato tomorrow, ahead of the burial on Friday.
Mourners filled the roads with lesos while others waved tree leaves while carrying posters with the words ‘Shujaa wa Africa’ meaning Africa’s hero.
Magufuli passed away on the 17th March at the age of 61. He died of heart complications.
President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned Magufuli saying that he had lost a friend and someone who had so muchrespect. He declared a 7-day mourning period to honour Magufuli. He added that he will continue working with Tanzania.
He said, “I want to assure you that we will continue working together in partnership, to make sure we bring together our African continent. “
Other leaders across the world also paid tribute to the late Magufuli