Tanzania’s president gives ex-presidents peacocks

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has given 100 peacocks to former heads of state as a way of thanking them for looking after the birds when they lived in State House.

Jakaya Kikwete, Benjamin Mkapa and Ali Hassan Mwinyi each received 25 peacocks at a ceremony hosted by Mr Magufuli on Saturday.

The widow of Tanzania’s independence leader, Julius Nyerere, also received 25 peacocks.

Last year Mr Magufuli gave four of the birds to visiting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Some referred to the gesture as “peacock diplomacy” because of the strained relations between the neighbouring states.

source: BBC