There was a debate earlier following the death of five Tanzanian family members who died during a stampede while viewing the body of the late Tanzanian President John Magufuli.
The incident happened at Uhuru Stadium in Tanzania on March 21.
The controversy brewed following a semblance of their names with that of the Kenyan Kamba community.
Susan Ndana Mutwa together with her four children Michelle Harry Mtuwa, Natalia Grance Mtuwa, Nathaniel Mwenda Mtuwa and Christian Allan Mtuwa died in a stampede at the Stadium.
As reports of their death emerged, Kenyans questioned the resemblance of their names and it has emerged that the deceased had Kenyan roots, historically speaking.
In the 19th century, a section of the Kamba community left Kenya for Tanzania during the long-distance trade and ended up settling in Tanzania.
They have lived here for more than one century with their descendants being Tanzanian nationals.
Suzan was only 30 and had her four children aged between 7 and 12 accompany her to Uhuru Stadium to pay their last respect to Magufuli.
They were among scores who fainted at the stadium where Magufuli’s body was paraded for public viewing.
A spokesperson from Suzan’s family told the press that the children pleaded with their mother to be allowed to view the body and she allowed them.
In the evening, Suzan’s phone number called but she was not the one on the other end; a stranger informed her family that she was in hospital.
“The children had demanded they also attend the funeral of President Magufuli. Later that day we received a call late evening by an unknown person using Suzan’s phone,” Heri Mtua, the family’s spokesperson said according to AP News.
The Tanzanian government promised to issue a statement with the number of fatalities from the stampede but it is yet to happen.
Magufuli breathed his last in mid-March at a Dar es Salaam hospital. His death was announced by his Vice President – now the President – Samia Suluhu.
His burial is currently underway in his rural home of Chato.
