Mourners line THE streets of Tanzania commercial capital Dar es Salaam to pay their last respect to former-President John Magufuli.
Magufuli was THE son of peasant farmer and went on to become Tanzania president for 2015.
His coffin, draped in the national flag, is lying in state at the Uhuru stadium in the main city Dar es Salaam.
Opposition politicians say that Magufuli contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed.
He was a Covid sceptic who at times denied the virus had affected Tanzania.
Magufuli’s coffin was brought to the stadium on Saturday in a procession that was led by his successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan.
It will be taken to several different locations for public viewing before his burial in his hometown of Chato on Friday.
Some residents wept and threw flowers on the coffin which was pulled by a military vehicle on Saturday.
President Samia, who was sworn into office on Friday, led the government procession in which many wore black or green and yellow to represent the colours of the ruling party.
The government announced on Wednesday that Magufuli had died from a heart condition after he had been missing from public for several weeks.
His position on coronavirus ranged from stating it did not exist in Tanzania to saying the country had beaten the pandemic through prayer.
ut in February, after a number of senior politicians died from the virus, he conceded it was circulating in Tanzania.
Known as the “bulldozer”, before the pandemic Magufuli was praised for his no-nonsense approach and hailed for his anti-corruption stance and his distinct dislike for wasting money.
On Friday President Samia spoke of the “heavy load” on her shoulders and urged for the “burying of differences” and unity during the mourning period.
