A sombre mood engulfed Chato and its surroundings Friday afternoon as the casket bearing the body of deceased Tanzanian president John Magufuli was lowered into the grave.
The lowering of the casket at 1650hrs was followed by the ceremonial 21 gun-salute by the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces.
Buried at his family’s grave yard, it was indeed his personal wish to be buried at his ancestral home, a place that the deceased had many fond memories of his formative years.
Thousands of mourners from several parts of the country led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and other top government officials turned up to bid the former head of State farewell.
Alongside the President, there were also former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Jakaya Kikwete and the present of Zanzibar Dr. Hussein Mwinyi and his predecessor Ali Mohammed Shein.
Just Like in Dar es Salaam and other parts of the country, mourners started arriving as early as 5:00am, ready to witness the final farewell event in honour of their hero and role model, Dr. John Pombe Magufuli.
The late President died in Dar es Salaam last week on Wednesday March 17 while undergoing treatment at Mzena Hospital.
Announcing the death the president the then Vice President, Mrs. Samia Suluhu Hassan said the President had succumbed to a heart condition called atrial fibrillation something that he had struggled with for more than 10 years.
