Tanzania’s President John Magufuli died at the aged of 61, the country’s vice-president has announced.
He died on Wednesday night from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an address on state television.
Mr Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumors have been circulating about his health.
Opposition politicians said last week that he had contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed.
Mr Magufuli was declared president on his 56th birthday in October 2015. He was elected for a second term following a disputed poll last year.
On Monday, police said they had arrested four people on suspicion of spreading rumors on social media that the president was ill.
