AfricaPress-Tanzania: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan said Monday it was not easy to perform the melancholy duty of announcing the death of President John Magufuli last Wednesday.
“I was told this is my duty. I couldn’t believe the President is gone,” she said when addressing the nation during the state funeral of the late president Magufuli in Dodoma. “I felt I was making false statements.”
Mama Samia says she struggled to believe that it has pleased Almighty God to remove Magufuli from this life. “I had only spoken with him a few days before my tour in Tanga. He said he was doing well and that I should convey his love to the people in the region.”
President Magufuli was the man of the people. It was evident with the volume of people who attended his funeral. Magufuli died on Wednesday of a heat-related illness. President Samia told the mourners in Dodoma that she was often impressed with the way Magufuli presented his arguments in the parliament and to the cabinet.
“He was not afraid to defend what he believed was in the best interest of the nation,” she added acknowledging Magufuli had played a big role in her political career and to the women in Tanzania.
Through Magufuli Tanzania got the first Vice President and now President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mama Samia says President Magufuli was mostly referred to as a no-nonsense person, but he was a good joker. “He wanted results and not excuse,” she said. The new leader told mourners that they were equally worried whether Magufuli had time to rest.
Meanwhile, the President assured the nation and the international community that she was ready to execute Magufuli’s plans with the same vigour, speed and enthusiasm. “For those who are sceptical whether this woman could be the President of Tanzania, I want to tell you that the person standing here is the President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
“I want to reiterate that the person standing here is the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and is a female.”
