Tanzania's president John Magufuli has died of heart failure at the age of 61. He had not appeared in public for several weeks, leading to speculation that he may have contracted COVID-19 and been flown abroad for treatment. Magufuli had repeatedly played down the risk of the coronavirus and warned against taking vaccines.
He hadn't been seen in public for nearly three weeks. Many began speculating that Magufuli was in bad health. Vice President Samia Suluhu has addressed the nation to say the President had died of heart failure. She said Magufuli suffered heart complications for over ten years.
The popular leader was elected in 2015, and made a name for himself as a corruption-busting man of the people. His supporters expressed dismay at his death. And it was only last year that Magufuli was re-elected President. But despite that support, opposition figures accused him of cracking down on dissent.
But recent criticism was focused on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He drastically downplayed the effects of the virus - calling on people to use prayer instead of masks. The Government of Tanzania stopped publishing infection numbers last year.
Magufuli's death means his deputy will become the nation's first female President.


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