Facemasks will Fail Us, Let’s Go On 3-days Fast – President

As much as facemasks has become commonplace as the world tries to contain the coronavirus pandemic, it may not be the ultimate solution.

After all consignments of it that was shipped by a country to other places of need have widely been classed as inferior and unreliable.

But a little from that, the president of Tanzanian,  John Magufuli told citizens to instead turn to God as  the ultimate answer and also keep the economy turning.

Magufuli specifically called for three days of prayer from last Friday to fight the virus, adding:

“This is time to build our faith and continue praying to God and not depending on facemasks.

Don’t stop going to churches and mosques for prayers.

I’m sure this is just a change of wind and it will go like others have gone,” Magufuli said.

Speaking when he visited a church at Dodma, the president reiterated his message on Good Friday, last week, saying God would protect Tanzanians from the virus.

AFP reports show that the country recorded its first case of coronavirus on March 16 — and in the past week numbers have leapt from 32 to 147, with five deaths.

However, the statement has provided a linchpin for the opposition.

“I am not happy about the lack of seriousness by the government, lack of transparency on the data of cases and deaths, and state of denial the president has on the pandemic,” an opposition MP, Zitto Kabwe, who is also the leader of the ACT Wazalendo party, told AFP.

Rare optimism….John Magufuli

Kabwe has proposed a partial lockdown of Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza and the capital Dodoma, and also a total lockdown of the tourist hotspot and semi-autonomous island, Zanzibar, but Magufuli has encouraged Tanzanians to continue working as usual, while encouraging them to avoid “unnecessary gatherings”.

“Let us continue working hard to build our nation. Coronavirus is not and should not be a reason for us not working.

“Farmers should utilise the ongoing rains effectively, industrial owners should continue producing and I don’t expect any development project to stop,” he said.

“Coronavirus should not be a reason to destroy our economy at all.” T

he country’s economy has already been hard hit as tourists who flock to see its wildlife and beaches, have stopped coming. Tourism is the country’s top foreign-exchange earner. On the streets of the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, citizens say they fear the virus and are doing what they can to avoid it while continuing to make ends meet.

“What I normally do is to ensure my passenger washes their hands before getting on the motorcycle. The challenge is that I have only one helmet for passengers, who share it,” said Hemedi Masoud, a motorcycle taxi operator.

He and other so-called “boda-boda” drivers park their bikes in a crowded area thronged by petty traders and pedestrians.

“I really fear coronavirus disease and it is risky here but there is no way I can avoid coming. My family needs something to eat and this is where I earn my daily bread,” said Masoud.

The government has banned buses from taking more passengers than the number of seats they contain, but this has only created bigger crowds during rush hour.

Like many poor people across the continent — even in countries which are trying to impose lockdowns — staying at home would be a grim option for many Tanzanians.

“I don’t pray for lockdown in Tanzania because we may escape coronavirus and die from hunger at home. Life has to go on and God will protect us,” said Anna John, a food vendor in the city.

Miriam John, who sells shoes, said some of her customers did not want to wash their hands but she has “no option because I need their money.” But opposition leaders say the country needs to take more action to avoid potential disaster.