President Yoweri Museveni of Ugandan on Friday ordered flags to fly at half-mast for three days starting Saturday to mourn former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa.

“When he became President of Tanzania, we worked together to consolidate the East African Community (EAC). It is a great loss for Africa,” he tweeted.

The EAC is a regional grouping of six countries, namely Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and South Sudan.

Museveni extended condolences to the widow of the deceased leader, Anne Mkapa, and the people of Tanzania.

Born on Nov. 12, 1938, Mkapa was Tanzania’s third president and served two five-year terms from 1995 to 2005, when he was succeeded by President Jakaya Kikwete. Kikwete was succeeded by current President John Magufuli, who announced Mkapa’s death on Friday.