Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli feared dead

By Correspondent 

Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli could be dead. According to sources in Nairobi; Magufuli died last night. Our Kenya sources cannot confirm but are hinting that the President may have died yesterday in Nairobi Hospital and that an operation was/is underway to covertly fly his body back to Dar es Salaam before an announcement is made.

Media sources in Nairobi are reporting unusual activities at the Tanzanian High Commission and sources remain confident that he has been in Nairobi Hospital.

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli is in good health and working normally, two officials said, after reports he flew abroad in critical condition with COVID-19. Magufuli, 61, is Africa’s most prominent coronavirus sceptic. He has not been seen in public since February 27.

Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who left for Belgium after disputing his election defeat to Magufuli last year, has said the president was flown to the private Nairobi Hospital in neighbouring Kenya and then to India in a coma.

However, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa denied that, blaming the narrative on “hateful” Tanzanians living abroad.

“Tanzanians should be at peace. Your president is around, healthy, working hard,” he said in a speech after Friday prayers in the southern Njobe region. “To spread rumours that he is sick is just an outcome of hate.”

Magufuli was busy at work indoors reviewing files, Majaliwa said, adding that he spoke to him by phone on Friday morning. “I have decided to say this to give hope to Tanzanians that our president is around,” he said. “If he were sick, would I talk to him on the phone? He sent his greetings to you.”

The prime minister’s remarks, along with similar comments from Tanzania’s ambassador in Namibia, Modestus Kipilimba, were the first official reactions since concerns surfaced at the start of this week.