Zanzibar's first vice president Seif Sharif Hamad, who led the island's opposition for three decades, died Wednesday, the president said, after he had been hospitalised for over three weeks with coronavirus.
Tanzania and its semi-autonomous island Zanzibar have played down the threat of of the virus, which President John Magufuli has said has been fended off by prayer.
However Hamad's ACT-Wazalendo party announced in January that the 77-year-old had been hospitalised with the virus.
"Hamad died this morning at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam where he was hospitalised," Zanzibar president Ali Hassan Mwinyi said in a short speech broadcast by state-run ZBC television.
"The nation has really lost a patriotic leader. I also declare seven days of mourning and the national flag will fly half-mast during."
Magufuli also expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter.
Neither leader mentioned the cause of death.
Saddened by news of the death of Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, a giant of Zanzibar politics who will be greatly missed. He leaves a towering legacy of service, commitment and passion for improving lives. My condolences to his family and the people of Zanzibar. Upumzike kwa amani. pic.twitter.com/dFBjmcWcxW
— David Concar (@DConcar) February 17, 2021
Very sad news ?? Chair of @ACTwazalendo , VP of Zanzibar and one of the most prominent opposition figures in #Tanzania @SeifSharifHamad has passed away- he was taken to hospital with #Covid19 16 days ago!
— Maria Sarungi Tsehai (@MariaSTsehai) February 17, 2021
Rest in Peace Maalim ????
Pumzika kwa amani Maalim ????
RIP Seif Sharif Hamad. While #COVID19 has taken away many of the region's leaders before their time, I can't help but think that the #Zanzibar First Vice President might have had a fighting chance if #Tanzania ceased its denialism about the pandemic. https://t.co/QEBsK3biXK
— Judd Devermont (@JDevermont) February 17, 2021
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