Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli is dead.

In a televised address, Tanzania vice-president Samia Suluhu Hassan confirmed the sad news to the nation.

The vice-president said that Magufuli had died of heart complications. She also announced that the country would get into a 14-day period of mourning as arrangements for the burial are made.

During this period, all flags in Tanzania will fly at half-mast, Hassan announced. This comes after weeks of speculation on his whereabouts with the suspicion that he had been hospitalised for Covid-19.Magufuli was born on October 29, 1959 in Chato, Tanzania and has been in office since 2015 as the fifth president.

He has previously served as a deputy minister and minister in previous administrations in Tanzania.

Magufuli was serving his second term that was to run until 2025 after controversially winning the Presidential election in 2020.

Mr Magufuli has not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumours have been circulating about his health.

Opposition politicians said earlier this week alleged that the President had contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed.

Mr Magufuli was declared president on his 56th birthday in October 2015.

By Eric Knight