BREAKING: Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli dies at 61

RegionWeek Newsletter Vol IV, Issue #167 | Saturday, March 17, 2021

JUST -IN

Dear Readers,

Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli is dead. The announcement was made this Wednesday, March 17, 2021, by Vice President Samia Suluhu.

John Pombe Magufuli (born 29 October 1959) was a Tanzanian politician and President of Tanzania, in office since 2015. Magufuli earned his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1994 and 2009, respectively. After a short stint of teaching at Sengerema Secondary School and later working as an industrial chemist, Magufuli went into politics under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

First elected as a Member of Parliament in 1995, he served in the Cabinet of Tanzania as Deputy Minister of Works from 1995 to 2000, Minister of Works from 2000 to 2006, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement from 2006 to 2008, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries from 2008 to 2010, and as Minister of Works for a second time from 2010 to 2015.

The son of a peasant farmer, John Pombe Magufuli became Tanzania's president on his 56th birthday in 2015. In 2020, John Magufuli officially won a second term, with a landslide victory of more than 84%.

He was the chairman of the Southern African Development Community from 2019–2020.

Married to Janeth Magufuli with five children, Mr. Magufuli originated in north-western Tanzania's Chato district along the shores of Lake Victoria.

President Magufuli will be remembered for his ultimate focus on reducing government corruption and spending.

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