‘I was poisoned as Mkapa’s minister’, President Magufuli reveals

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli has today revealed that he almost quit his post as a minister during President Benjamin Mkapa’s tenure after he was poisoned.

The President revealed what has so far remained a well guarded secret at the launch of the former Presiden t’s memoir, ‘My Life, My Purpose- A Tanzanian President remembers’ in Dar es Salaam.

President Magufuli said that some former ministers did not like him due to his hard working spirit.

“I remember President Mkapa once pronounced me as his first aide due to the work I was doing in the construction ministry,” said the President.

He added, “But this had a negative impact because some cabinet ministers started to hate me.” The president said “No sooner I was poisoned while in Dodoma.”

Following the incident President Magufuli says he wanted to resign his position but President Mkapa urged him to carry on.

“I went to President Mkapa and asked him if I could resign but he advised me to carry on,” said the President during the launching of former president Mkapa’s book titled “My Life My Purpose.

The president  did not go into the details whether the suspects were ever brought to book for the attempt.