Tanzania’s Vice president Samia Hassan Suluhu has officially confirmed that President John Pombe Magufuli (61) has died of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation, at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.

She said Magufuli was admitted on March 6, 2021, and further added that he had suffered from the condition for the last 10 years.

Samia has announced 14 days of mourning and flags to be hoisted at half-mast.

Leadership Transition in Tanzania

The Kenya Forum had this week reported about Magufuli’s failed health and cited an ongoing leadership Transition that poised to give East Africa her first female president.

According to the constitution of Tanzania, Article 37 (3), in the event that the president is incapacitated from performing his duties, his roles and responsibilities will be taken over by either; the vice president or the Prime Minister in the event the VP is not available.

(3) Where the President is absent from the United Republic or is unable to discharge the functions of his office for any other reason, the duties and functions of the President shall be discharged by one of the following, in the order specified, that is to say – (a) the Vice President or, if his office is vacant or if he is also absent or is ill; then 25 (b) the Prime Minister.

Fare thee well President Pombe Magufuli

Section 5 of the same article further states that “Where the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death resignation, loss of electoral qualifications or inability to perform his functions due to physical infirmity, or failure to discharge the duties and functions of the office of President, then the Vice-President shall be sworn in and become the President for the unexpired period of the term of five years and in accordance with the conditions set out in Article 4……”.

East Africa’s First Female President

Tanzania’s Vice president Samia Hassan Suluhu, who became the country’s first-ever female VP Following the 2015 General Elections that saw John Magufuli elected President, has now following the president’s sudden death, become East Africa’s First Female President.