President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the Government and people of the Republic of Tanzania in mourning the passing of President John Magufuli, who died on Wednesday at the age of 61.
President Buhari in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the legacy of patriotism and dedication of late President John Magufuli to the African course will continue to resonate across the continent.
Mallam Garba Shehu in his statement, said the President 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.
President Buhari affirms that the former Tanzanian leader, John 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 Works, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement and Minister of Livestock and Fisheries.
The President extends condolences to the family of the late visionary leader of Tanzania, his friends and associates, and all citizens of the country, trusting God to comfort them.
President Buhari prays for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
The death of Mafuguli was confirmed on Wednesday night by Vice President Samia Sulhu Hassan.
The Vice President in the televised address to the nation, said President John Magufuli died of a “heart condition”, which he had suffered for 10-years at a hospital in Dar-Es-Salaam.
Magufuli had first been briefly admitted to the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute on March 6, but was subsequently discharged, Hassan said on state television. But he was rushed to hospital again on March 14 after feeling unwell.