Remembering the life of John Pombe Magufuli

“I know one day you will remember me, not for bad things but for the good deeds, and also because I have sacrificed my life for the poor in Tanzania.” John Pombe Magufuli. 

Former Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli gestures while arriving at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, SA on May 25, 2019 Copyright © africanews MICHELE SPATARI / AFP

The son of a subsistence farmer, who rose to become president of Tanzania in 2015 will be long known and praised by many for his no-nonsense approach to leadership. When he took to Presidency in 2015, John Pombe Magufuli, a Chemistry teacher, adopted a populist approach to leadership and this was received with both criticism and acclaim. 

In his first months in office, he abolished foreign trips, reigned in absenteeism, flogged the corrupt and banned excessive expenditure. The acts, brave as they seemed, bought him a nickname – the bulldozer and an immediate international appeal under the phrase; “What Would Magufuli Do?”

As the Foundation, we extend our condolences to all Tanzanians mourning the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli.