Tanzania’s former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi has died at the age of 98, The Citizen reports. The death of the former head of State was announced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

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Mwinyi, who was the second President of Tanzania, was in office between 1985 and 1995. He succeeded the founding president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

Mwinyi died three months shy of his 99th birthday.

He was hospitalised on February 24 for a chest illness.

His son Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, is the current President of Zanzibar, in the Tanzanian archipelago.