YOUR EXCELLENCY, MRS. SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA;
• YOUR EXCELLENCIES, HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT;
• THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PRIME MINISTER, MR. KASSIM MAJALIWA;
• HONOURABLEMINISTERS;
• YOUR EXCELLENCIES, AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS ACCREDITED TO THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA;
• SENIORGOVERNMENTOFFICIALS;
• FELLOWMOURNERS,
IT IS INDEED WITH A DEEP SORROW AND REGRET THAT WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO BID FAREWELL TO OUR DEARLY BELOVED PRESIDENT, FATHER, BROTHER AND FRIEND.
IN COMMISERATING WITH YOU, OUR DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, ALLOW ME TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND HEARTFELT SYMPATHIES FROM THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, AND INDEED MY OWN BEHALF, ON THE PASSING OF THIS GREAT SON OF AFRICA.
THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT JOHN POMBE MAGUFULI WILL FOREVER BE VIVIDLY IMPRINTED IN THE HEARTS AND
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MINDS OF THE PEOPLE OF TANZANIA FOR HIS SELFLESS RESOLVE TO BRING ABOUT SOCIO ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AND PROSPERITY.
PRESIDENT MAGUFULI WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROWTH OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNTY (SADC) THROUGH HIS RECENT CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE REGIONAL BODY.
ON OUR PART AS ZAMBIA, OUR STRONG BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP ARE CEMENTED THROUGH, AMONGST OTHERS, OUR HISTORICAL BILATERAL PROJECTS OF TAZARA AND TAZAMA PIPELINE. AS SUCH, WHEN PRESIDENT MAGUFULI GRACIOUSLY HOSTED ME TO A SUCCESSFUL STATE VISIT IN NOVEMBER 2016, WE REAFFIRMED OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSFORM THESE PROJECTS FOR IMPROVED TRADE NOT ONLY BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES, BUT FOR THE SADC REGION.
ANOTHER MEMORABLE OCCASION FOR ME IS WHEN IN OCTOBER 2019 PRESIDENT MAGUFULI AND I OPENED THE TUNDUMA-NAKONDE ONE STOP BORDER POST THAT HAS HELPED FACILITATE QUICKER TRADE BETWEEN TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA.
BUT WHAT I REMEMBER EVEN MOST IS PRESIDENT MAGUFULI’S ENCHANTING PERSONALITY AND HOW HE MESMERISED RESIDENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER WHEN HE ADDRESSED THEM.
HE WAS FORTHRIGHT, FEARLESS, AND MOST OF ALL TRANSFORMATIONAL. TO ME, HE WAS NOT JUST A
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COUNTERPART, JOHN POMBE MAGUFULI WAS A FRIEND OF MINE, AND I WILL MISS HIM DEARLY.
AS WE MOURN OUR DEPARTED PRESIDENT JOHN POMBE MAGUFULI, OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE BEREAVED FAMILY AND WITH YOU ALL THE PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA.
MAY OUR CONDOLENCES BRING YOU COMFORT, BUT
MORE SO, MAY OUR PRAYERS TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD GRANT YOU STRENGTH, AND EASE THE PAIN OF THIS
GREAT LOSS.
REST WELL, GALLANT SON OF AFRICA, YOU HAVE RUN YOUR RACE WELL AND WE PRAY FOR YOUR SOUL TO REST IN ETERNAL PEACE IN THE LOVING ARMS OF OUR CREATOR!
ASANTE SANA!