– Kikwete heads home –
Kikwete, who said he would go to his home village of Msogo, dismissed a question as to whether he would miss the trappings of office.
“Why should I be sad? You see I’m so happy, I played my part,” Kikwete said, who embraced Magufuli at the ceremony.
“I was given the opportunity, and for 10 years I worked to the best of my ability to build our nation,” he added. “Time has now come for me to leave the country peacefully to the next leader.”
Kikwete’s standing down comes amid a wider controversy in Africa over efforts by leaders to change constitutions in order to stay in office.
But Tanzania’s vote was not without troubles.
Magufuli, a former chemistry teacher who celebrated his 56th birthday on Thursday as results were announced, ran on an anti-corruption platform, and secured a convincing victory over his closest rival, ex prime minister Edward Lowassa who won 40 percent.
Lowassa, a former CCM stalwart turned opposition chief, rejected the official results and accused the election body of falsifying tallies. Unlike other losing candidates, he did not attend the certificate ceremony, held in the economic capital Dar es Salaam.
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