Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli, has died.
Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan confirmed his death on state television on Wednesday evening.
Officially, Magufuli died from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.
But there was little doubt from all but official government mouthpieces that he died of complications related to Covid-19. It had been widely reported for weeks that he had contracted the disease.
He would be the first head of state to be killed by the virus.
It is an ironic end. For much of the pandemic, Magufuli has been a Covid denialist. He declared the country virus-free last June, despite ample evidence to the contrary. He shrugged off masks and social distancing, and in February the government said there were no plans for a vaccine rollout.
Magufuli’s Covid position was the latest chapter in a deeply controversial presidency. He started out in 2015 styling himself as a no-nonsense anti-corruption crusader. But he became increasingly autocratic and confrontational, allowing the security forces to unleash oppressive tactics across the country – especially against the opposition.
Right up until his death, his loyal defenders in government claimed he was fine. On 12 March, Al Jazeera quoted Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa blaming reports of Magufuli’s illness on “hateful” Tanzanians living abroad.
“Tanzanians should be at peace. Your president is around, healthy, working hard. To spread rumours that he is sick is just an outcome of hate,” Majaliwa said.
Vice-President Hassan said there would be 14 days of national mourning and flags would fly at half mast.
Tanzanians will meanwhile be watching the transfer of power closely.
In an interview with Scrolla.Africa, Magufuli’s sworn enemy, exiled Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu – who in 2017 survived 16 bullet wounds at the hands of an assassin believed to have been sent by Magufuli’s government – quoted the American writer Mark Twain.
“I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”
