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Diamond eulogises his ‘father’ Magufuli


Diamond Platnumz has eulogised the late Tanzania president John Magufuli as a father figure.

Diamond revealed that President Magufuli once called him seeking to know what was going on with him during the public drama surrounding his father sometime earlier this year.

Speaking after paying his last respects to the fallen president at Uhuru stadium in Dar es Salaam, he said Magufuli was very close to the common people, a virtue not seen with most leaders.

“Ukaribu wake ulikuwa mkubwa kwa jamii mimi nikiwa mfano. Unajua kuna wakati mwingine mtukufu Rais akakupigia simu mnazungumza mbali na mambo mengine ya ki-nchi, mnaonge kama mtu unazungumza na mzazi wako. Labda kama kipindi ilipotokea mambo ya masuala ya baba na nini, alinipigia kuniuliza imekuaje tena, vipi tena. Alikuwa anatumia muda mwingi kufanya kazi ya kutuletea maendeleo lakini  anatenga na muda wa kutujali na sisi, sio kila Rais anaweza kufanya hivyo,” Diamond said.

In January, Diamond’s mother, Bi Sandra, sent tongues wagging after revealing that Mzee Abdul Naseeb Juma was not his star son’s biological father as many had long believed.

Diamond would later come out to support his mother’s position saying he came to learn that Mzee Abdul was not his biological father in 2000 but the family had opted to keep it private.

However, Bi Sandra was forced to spill the beans after Abdul claimed he had been neglected by his wealthy superstar son, claims Diamond denied, saying he had continued providing for him even after learning he was not his biological father.

Bi Sandra revealed that he was already pregnant with Diamond when she married Mzee Abdul, who agreed to help her raise the boy, only to varnish when he was still a toddler.

The bond between President Magufuli and Diamond grew last year towards Tanzania’s general elections, in which he campaigned and drummed up support for his re-election.