Forty-five people died on March 21 in a stampede at the stadium in Dar es Salaam, the economic capital of Tanzania, where a tribute to late President John Magufuli was being held, police said on Tuesday (March 30).

The authorities had so far not communicated a report.

The 61-year-old head of state's death, officially from heart problems, had been announced four days earlier.

On March 21, tens of thousands of Tanzanians marched to Dar es Salaam's Uhuru Stadium where his body was on display, marking the start of a week of tributes across the country.

On the way to the stadium, a dense crowd had greeted the passing of the funeral convoy, weeping, singing and throwing flower petals.

"There were a lot of people who wanted to enter the stadium and some were not patient. They forced the entrance and it caused a stampede. Forty-five people died in the accident," he said. 'AFP Lazaro Mambosasa, Commander of the Dar es Salaam Regional Police.

"This toll includes five people from the same family," confirmed Lazaro Mambosasa, adding that 37 people were injured, the majority of whom left the hospital.

Invaded airport

Later in the day, the crowd had invaded an airport terminal as the coffin left for the capital Dodoma, where the national funeral was being held the day after in the presence of many African heads of state.  

John Magufuli's body was then transported to the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar and the towns of Mwanza and Geita, before being buried in his hometown of Chato in the northwest of the country.

The head of state officially died on March 17 of heart problems, which he had suffered for ten years, according to the authorities.

But the opposition says the president, who has consistently downplayed the impact of the coronavirus and refused to take action to stem the pandemic, actually died of Covid-19 the previous week.

In accordance with the Constitution, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan took over, becoming the first woman to rule Tanzania.

In power from 2015 to 2021, Magufuli leaves a controversial legacy.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR