TANZANIA: 45 PEOPLE DIED IN STAMPEDE TO VIEW MAGUFULI’S BODY

Tue 30 March 2021:

At least 45 people died in a stampede during a public farewell tribute to late Tanzanian President John Magufuli, local newspaper Citizen reported, citing the police.

According to the latest report by Tanzania authorities, 37 more people were injured when hundreds of mourners attempted to force their way into Uhuru Stadium to pay last respects to Magufuli on March 21.

“These people were not criminals. They went to the stadium to express their love for their departed leader but because the number of people was huge, some became impatient and opted to use unofficial entry points to get into the stadium,” Dar es Salaam special police zone commander Lazaro Mambosasa, told Mwananchi newspaper.

Last week, the remains of five members of the same family, who died after being trampled at Uhuru Stadium were buried.

On March 17, Magufuli died at the age of 61 in a hospital in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam. While the government maintains its position that the president died of a heart failure after struggling against the disease for a decade, opposition forces claim he had severe coronavirus symptoms.