Dar Es Salaam (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday en-route to Dodoma, where he will join other African leaders at a special funeral ceremony for the late Tanzanian leader John Magufuli.
Magufuli, 61, died last week from heart complications and will be buried on March 26 in his rural home in Chato, Geita region.
President Mnangagwa, who is accompanied by Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Professor Amon Murwira, will proceed to Dodoma, Tanzania’s administrative capital on Monday for the special funeral wake.
Speaking on Saturday, President Mnangagwa said: “It was very sad news, it came as a huge shock to me personally because of my personal relationship with the late President Magufuli.”
Magufuli will be remembered most by Zimbabweans as in 2019, while Southern African Development Community Chairman, he led the region into announcing its strongest ever stance against the illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.
At his instigation, SADC declared October 25 as a day regional countries would stage activities to condemn the sanctions.
According to a funeral programme announced by Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzanians started paying their last respects on Saturday for five days.
“On Monday, March 22, Dodoma residents will mourn and pay their last respects before the body is transported to Mwanza,” she said.
“Magufuli’s family and residents of Chato and neighbouring areas will mourn him and say farewell to their beloved leader on March 24.”
New Ziana
