President Uhuru Kenyatta travels to Tanzania for John Magufuli inauguration

President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta at JKIA shortly before leaving for Tanzania where they will attend John Magufuli's swearing in ceremony.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta Thursday morning travelled to Dar-es-Salaam to attend the inauguration ceremony of Tanzania’s President-elect John Pombe Magufuli.

The President and the First Lady, whose flight took off shortly before 9am, were seen off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Deputy President William Ruto and a delegation of government officials.

Several African leaders are due Thursday in the economic capital Dar es Salaam for Magufuli's swearing in, including the African Union chairman, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, and regional heads of state.

Ruling party candidate John Magufuli won Tanzania's hotly contested presidential elections with over 58 percent of votes, cementing the long-running Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party's firm grip on power.

Samia Suluhu Hassan, who comes from Zanzibar, will become Tanzania's first ever female vice president.

Outgoing Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has declared the day a holiday.

Magufuli will be sworn in at a stadium in Dar es Salaam, with celebrations due to begin at around 10am with a military parade.

Leaders of neighbouring nations are expected, including Uganda's Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda's Paul Kagame.

Other neighbouring leaders include Joseph Kabila of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique and Zambia's Edgar Lungu. South Africa's Jacob Zuma is also expected.