President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered seven days of national mourning in Kenya following the death of Tanzania’s President John Pombe Magufuli on Wednesday.

President Kenyatta also directed that all Kenyan and East African Community flags be flown at half-mast for the seven-day mourning period until Magufuli is laid to rest.

He was speaking in his address as the current chairperson of the EAC, and indicated that he had conveyed Kenya's condolences in a phone call with Tanzania’s Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.


John Magufuli and Uhuru Kenyatta. PHOTO/FILE 

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On Wednesday night, Suluhu announced that President Magufuli had died from heart complications on Wednesday at 6pm at the Nzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

Suluhu then declared 14 days of national mourning in the neighbouring country as he disclosed that Magufuli had been battling the ailment for more than 10 years.

This brings to an end speculation that had been rife on the health of the Tanzanian president days leading to the announcement, amid fears he had contracted Covid-19.