John Magufuli, Tanzanian president who scoffed at coronavirus, dies at 61
- Nicknamed ‘The Bulldozer’ for his aggressive leadership style, Magufuli secured a second term in a disputed election five months ago
- The leader insisted his country was free of Covid-19, discouraged the use of face masks and advised people to pray and undergo steam therapy
Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who drew widespread criticism for his denialism of the coronavirus pandemic, has died only five months after he won a second term in a disputed election. He was 61.
“We have lost our courageous leader, President John Magufuli, who has died from a heart illness,” Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on state television on Wednesday. She announced 14 days of national mourning.
Nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for his aggressive leadership style, Magufuli won early praise for tackling corruption, reducing wasteful government spending and improving the lives of peasant farmers by waiving dozens of taxes.
He also spearheaded the development of new transport links, power plants and more than 1,700 health centres, investments that helped Tanzania’s economy become one of the world’s top performers.
Magufuli also drove through controversial reforms aimed at ensuring the nation derived greater benefit from its natural resources, which put his administration on a collision course with foreign mining companies.