Five People Killed In Stampede During Tanzanian President Magufuli's Farewell Ceremony

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2021) At least five people were killed in a stampede that erupted on Sunday at Uhuru stadium in Dar es Salam during a farewell ceremony for late Tanzanian President John Magufuli, local media reported.

According to The Citizen newspaper, people started arriving at the stadium early in the morning and all 23,000 seats were occupied. Those who remained outside the stadium tried to get in by climbing over the fences and pushing into the crowd of mourners, which caused a stampede.

All victims were members of one family, including four children, the publication said.

Magufuli died on March 17 at the age of 61 in a hospital in Dar es Salam. Vice President Suluhu Hassan, who was sworn in on Friday, becoming the first female president of the East African country, said that Magufuli died after a decade-long struggle with heart disease. At the same time, the country's opposition and Western media claimed that Magufuli was suffering from coronavirus. The authorities have denied the reports.

Magufuli has consistently denied that there is COVID-19 in the country and encouraged citizens to pray and use herbal medicine as cure. Tanzania's health authorities also refused to purchase coronavirus vaccines.