Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of condolence to the First Lady of Tanzania, H.E. Mrs. Janet Magufuli, their children and his entire family; and to all Tanzanians mourning the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli. We wrote about the president’s sudden death HERE.
President Uhuru said he had “learnt with profound sorrow and immense sadness of the untimely passing of my Dear Brother, His Excellency John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.”
He said Kenyans affirmed their “deep solidarity with the Government and People of Tanzania during this challenging time”.
VP Suluhu Hassan: President Magufuli died from a heart disease
The death of President Magufuli was announced on Wednesday evening by Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan who confirmed that he had died from a ‘heart disease’. He died at the age of 61.
“Africa and the world has, indeed, lost an illustrious leader; whose vision, passion, and immense leadership propelled the Nation of Tanzania forward, and also steered the East African Community to closer integration and cooperation,” President Kenyatta said. “On the continental stage, the Late President Magufuli was a champion of pan-Africanism. In the passing on of President Magufuli, I have lost a friend, a colleague, and a visionary ally; whom I worked with closely, particularly on our commitment to forge lasting bonds between Kenya and Tanzania.”
President Kenyatta: President Magufuli was “an outstanding son of Africa”
He described the late president as “an outstanding son of Africa”. In honour of the life President Magufuli, in recognition of his strong legacy; and in solidarity with Tanzanians, President Kenyatta said Kenya will observe a period of seven days of national mourning.
The flag of the East African Community and the flag of the Republic of Kenya shall be flown at half-mast at all public buildings and public grounds, and wherever else throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya and at all of Kenya’s Diplomatic Missions abroad until sunset on the day of the funeral.