President Uhuru Attends Magufuli’s State Funeral in Tanzania

President Kenyatta Monday traveled to Tanzania to attend the State funeral service of the late President John Joseph Pombe Magufuli. 

Speaking during the ceremony held at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma, Kenyatta described Magufuli as a close friend who showed the world that Africa can be independent.

"I mourn a close friend. His death is a blow to me personally. We spoke almost daily, and I consulted him frequently on East African Community matters. He showed the world that Africa can be independent," said Kenyatta.

The service was attended by several other African leaders including President Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Félix Tshisekedi (DR Congo), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), and Edgar Lungu (Zambia).

Magufuli died of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation at Mzena State Hospital in Dar es Salaam on March 18th and will be laid to rest on March 26th at his rural home in Chato District.

Kenya is marking his death by hoisting the national and the East African Community flags at half-staff and observing a seven-day national mourning period.

Magufuli was elected as the country's fifth president in 2015 and re-elected for a second term in October last year.

Vice President Samia Hassan Suluhu was last week sworn-in as the country’s first-ever female President and will serve for the remainder of Magufuli’s term.