Burial plans for late Tanzania President John Magufuli announced

The late Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli will be laid to rest on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

Announcing the burial plans, newly-sworn in President Samia Suluhu Hassan, said the public will get the opportunity to pay their last respect to the late Magufuli from Saturday, March 20.

On Saturday, Magufuli’s body, which is lying at the Lugalo Military Hospital, will be taken to church for a requiem mass before being moved to Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, where leaders and residents of the area will pay tribute.

The body will then be taken to the country’s capital Dodoma on March 21 where Magufuli will lie in State until the following day March 22 at 9am when the late President’s body will be taken to Mwanza.

On March 23rd Magufuli’s body will leave Mwanza and be taken to his native home of Chato.

Family members and residents of Chato will pay their last respect on March 24 ahead of the funeral service on March 25 at the Catholic Church in Chato.

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan announces burial plans for John Magufuli #SemaNaCitizen pic.twitter.com/MtmVDMJytX

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) March 19, 2021

Magufuli’s death was announced Wednesday night by then Tanzanian Vice President Samia Hassan Suluhu. She said Magufuli succumbed to a heart disease at Mzena State Hospital in Dar es Salaam. He was aged 61 years.

In a televised address, Suluhu said Magufuli was taken ill on March 6 and rushed to Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Tanzania before he was transferred to Mzena hospital where he was admitted until his demise.

Meanwhile, Tanzania will remain on a 21-day period of mourning during which all flags in Tanzania will fly at half-mast.