JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI

The life of John Pombe Joseph Magufuli 

Magufuli was born on 29 October 1959 in Chato a town in Gieta region of northwestern Tanzania and a port on the southern end of lake Victoria .

Magufuli went to Chato primary school in 1967 and later on to the Katoke Seminary in Biharamulo for his secondary education  before relocating to Lake secondary school in 1977 and graduating in 1978 . He joined Mkwawa High school for his Advanced Level Studies in 1979 and graduated in 1981. He then joined Mkwawa Collegeof Education for a Diploma in Education Science. Magufuli earned his Bachelors degree from the University of Dar es salaam in 1988. He also earned his masters and doctorate degrees in chemistry from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1994 and 2009, respectively. In late 2019, he was awarded a honorary doctorate by the University of Dodoma for improving the economy of the country. Magufuli was well learned and educated. Magufuli started his career as a teacher at Sengerema Secondary School where he taught chemistry and mathematics  between 1982 and 1983 before quiting his job and was later employed by The Nyanza Cooperative Union Limited as an industrial chemist .

In 1995, he was elected as Memeber of Parliament (MP) representing Chato District. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Works in his first term as MP. He retained his seat in 2000 election and was promoted to full minister in the same docket. After President Jakaya Kikwete took office, he moved John Pombe Joseph Magufuli to the post of Minister of Lands and Human Settlement in 2006, later served as minister of livestock and fisheries from 2008 t0 2010 and  again minister of works form 2010 to 2015.

On 12 July 2015, Magufuli was nominated CCM's presidential candidate for the election, after winning the majority vote in the final round of primaries. Although Magufuli faced a strong challenge from opposition candidate and previous CCM's political party member, he won the election after  receiving 58% of the vote and was sworn in on 5 November 2015.

In July 2020, Magufuli was nominated as the CCM's presidential candidate after stood an oppossed since Bernard Membe, a former foreign minister who had planned to challenge him had been expelled from the party earlier in the year. Magufuli was re-elected back to office amidst alot of allegations of arrests of candidates and protestors, restrictions on agents of political parties at polling stations, multiple voting, pre-ticking and widespread blockage of social media.

After taking office, Magufuli immediately began to impose measures to curb goverment spending, such as barring unnecessary foreign travel by government officials. using cheaper vehicles and board rooms for transport and meeting, respectively, shrinking the delegation foe a tour of the Commonwealth from 50 to 4. Magufuli als reduced his own salary from US$15,000 to US$4,000 per month. Magufuli accomplished so much as the President of Tanzania.

His Death

Magufuli had not been seen in public since 27 February 2021 and rumours swirled online that he was sick and possibly incapacitated from illness. A kenyan newspaper reported on 10 March 2021 that "an African leader" was being treated for COVID-19 at a hospital in Nairobi, leading to speculation that it could be President Magufuli.

Oposition politician, Tundu Lissu, citting unnamed sources but without providing evidence, said it was magufuli who was hospitalised, having contracted COVID-19. He further claimed that there were plans to move Magufuli to India. Lissu claimed that Magufuli had died on 10 March.

On the night of 17 March 2021, Vice-President Samia Suluhu anounced Magufuli had died at 6pm. EAT at Emilo Mzena Memorial Hospital in Dar es Salaam, where he had been recieving treatment. She didn't specify Magufuli's underlying illness but said he had suffered from a chronic atrial fibrillation for morethan a decade. She anounced 14days of National mourning and said the flag would fly at half-stay nationalwide. 

Nearly 10 days after his death, John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, was buried on friday at his ancestral home of Chato.