AfricaPress-Tanzania: JESHI, JESHI, JESHI! Was the only phrase that united Mwanza residents when a hearse carrying the body of the late President John Magufuli was making its way to various streets in the city Wednesday.
Jeshi is a Kiswahili language word which means army.
Perhaps Magufuli was referred to as the Army to how he pushed people’s centered development and his impact to various key sectors including but not limited to health, education and infrastructure.
Business at the second largest commercial city in Tanzania came to a standstill as a hearse carrying the body was their hero making its way to various Mwanza streets to the stadium and later to Busisi ferry.
People from all walks, men, women, children and elderly came out in their thousands to at least have the last glance at Magufuli’s casket along the roads from Mwanza Airport to Geita.
The Magufuli, the army song, which was heard for the first time in Dar es Salaam on Sunday as the commercial city residents escorted their champion to Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), also conquered the business city today.
Multitude joined the motorcade jogging on either side of the roads, to escort their beloved former President the late Dr Magufuli and only physical fitness decided the distance covered by joggers.
Branches of trees and khanga were thrown on the road symbolically to show how much they admired their hero who cannot see or hear their cries.
Indeed, Jeshi is quite in the casket! He cannot speak anymore! Due to limitation of the timetable, only few were allowed to pass in front of the caskate at the Kirumba Stadium and to, at least, quench the thirst of mourners who arrived at the facility early in the morning, the procession made five rounds in the stadium’s running tracks.
On its way to Chato, the body has passed through various popular streets of Mwanza city as Kirumba, Makongoro, Airport, Pasiansi, Buzuruga Bus Stand, Town Centre, Mabatini, Bugando Corner, Roundabout, Igogo and Makuyuni.
From there, the convoy proceeded to Nyegezi, Mkolani, Buhongwa, Nyashishi and Usagara, before starting the journey to Chato through Kigongo ferry – Busisi.
At the Busisi ferry, fishermen and some of the residents couldn’t hide their love for the fallen former President as they even escorted the body by using the speed boats when the body was crossing Lake Victoria.
The body had also stopped at Busisi, the home village of Dr Magufuli’s widow Mama Janeth for ten minutes to allow elders and relatives to bid their final farewell to the fallen president.
A ten minutes stop was also done in the morning at the Nyamanoro area in Ilemela district Mwanza, where the late Magufuli had lived in the past.
Thereafter the motorcade proceeded to Sengerema District and then Geita finally to the deceased’s ancestral land in Chato, where he will be laid to rest on Friday.
