President Mnangagwa leaves for Magufuli funeral

Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emerson Mnangagwa on Sunday left Harare for Dodoma, Tanzania to attend the funeral of Tanzania’s late President John Magufuli who died of heart complications last week.

Magufuli, 61, will be buried on Thursday March 26 in his rural home in Chato, Geita region.

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.”

“I was called by my colleagues, the first colleague who called was the President of Mozambique(Filipe Nyusi) last night (Friday), so we are going to meet in Tanzania, thereafter my brother (South African President) Cyril Ramaphosa also phoned and we agreed we will meet there,” he said.

Tanzania’s new President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said Tanzanians would pay their last respects for five days from Saturday to Wednesday in different regions of the country.

A requiem mass was held for President Magufuli on Saturday at St Peter’s Catholic Church – Oysterbay in Dar Es Salaam.

“After the mass, the body of our beloved former President Magufuli will be moved to Uhuru Stadium in Temeke district where public leaders will pay their last respects to the fallen leader,” she said on Friday last week soon after being sworn in.

On Sunday, Dar es Salaam residents will pay their last respects at Uhuru Stadium in Temeke district.

The body will then be transported to Dodoma where the residents will pay their last respects.

“On Monday March 22, Dodoma residents will mourn and pay their last respects before being transported to Mwanza ,” she said, adding that Monday will be a public holiday.

Mwanza residents will pay their last respects to the late President on Tuesday, before the body is transported to Chato district on March 24.

“Magufuli’s family and residents of Chato and neighboring areas will mourn him and say farewell to their beloved son on March 24.”
New Ziana