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Zanzibar First Vice President Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad has died in Dar es Salaam hospital, according to Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi.
Hamad, 77, a veteran politician from the opposition ACT-Wazalendo party, tested positive for Covid-19 in early February and was admitted to Muhimbili National Hospital, where he died on Wednesday.
Mwinyi and President John Magufuli have acknowledged his passing and sent condolences, but have not confirmed the cause of his death.
“People suspect he died of the coronavirus, but no statement has been made,” RFI Kiswahili reporter Victor Abuso told the Africa Calling podcast.
ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe told media he had just seen Hamad in hospital and believed he was recovering well before hearing news of his death.
Tanzania controversially announced last year that Covid-19 was no longer present in Tanzania because they had prayed to it outside the country.
“This is happening at a time when many people in Tanzania are living in fear and don’t know exactly what’s going on because they don’t have enough information about the coronavirus,” Abuso said.
Zanzibar is observing seven days of mourning and will fly its flag at half mast, Mwinyi said in a brief speech on public broadcaster ZBC TV.
Diplomats and politicians from the Tanzanian opposition and around the world paid tribute on social media.
It remains to be seen whether Hamad’s death will officially change the government’s position that Covid-19 exists, but individuals will certainly take it into account, Abuso says.
“This will change things – we may not hear anything concrete from the authorities, but we expect the people of Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania to take more seriously that the virus is still in the country, ”he said.
Succession in Zanzibar
After the period of mourning, it is not immediately clear who will take Hamad’s place as first vice-president of the island archipelago.
Recent constitutional changes stipulate that the finalist in the election will be the first vice president, Abuso says. Hamad came in second, although the elections were contested.
“What could happen is that the person who came third in the first election could be the first vice president, but we’re still waiting to see if that happens,” Abuso says.
“As you know, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has dominated politics in Tanzania and Zanzibar for so long; it would not come as much of a surprise if President Ali Hassan Mwinyi decides to rule alone for the next five years, ”he said.
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