Harrison Mwilima had this article in Deutsche Welle:

When Tanzania announced the death of President John Pombe Magufuli on March 17, the East African nation went into 21 days of national mourning. That period was for the country to reflect on Magufuli’s legacy and at the same time observe how the government would proceed with this first-time experience of a president dying while still in office.

Such an unexpected transition can be fertile ground for chaos. In some African countries, this became an opportunity for the army to launch a coup and suspend the constitution. For instance, in Guinea, after President Lansana Conte died in 2008, and in Togo after Gnassingbe Eyadama passed away in 2005.

Since most African countries’ boundaries were created through colonial processes, thus ending up with diverse ethnic groups, cultures, religions, and languages being put together into a single nation, stakes can be high whenever there is a power vacuum. 

Read the full article through this link.