Update on “Corona” in Tanzania, 10 March 2021

After Tanzania faced high-profile cases of Covid-19 around Feb. 20th and government announcements officially acknowledged that there are cases, even though statistics are still not being shared, there has been a shift in the official communication – at least in some circles. 

The Catholic Church keeps pushing for stronger measures: they have lost 25 priests and more than 60 nuns (often on the frontline as health workers) over the past two months, announced at a press conference by the Tanzania Episcopal Conference’s (TEC) general secretary, Dr. Charles Kitima, who said “Prayers alone are not enough. We need to also consider scientific findings.” https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/over-25-priests-60-nuns-have-died-in-60-days-says-tec-3310428.  There is still plenty of official discussion of traditional and alternative medicine, including by MoH officials, but there is also a growing effort, albeit on a limited scale with a road-show, to promote preventive measures. Handwashing with water and soap (or sanitizer) has been a recurring message for a couple of months as good practice (even before this 2nd wave of Covid-19), and very recently MoH added distancing and a lukewarm call to wear masks when you’re in a big, packed crowd and/or very close to others (though best if masks are made in Tanzania because imported ones might be infected with Covid-19)  Physical exercise and healthy nutrition are also part of the message. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMMhDDXgTMu Gado’s take on the mixed mask message: 

 At the road-show, the MoH coordinator of traditional and alternative medicines warned people to use these medicines correctly. He said some are mixing the different brews and/or consume a full kilo of ginger, twenty limes, and half a kilo of garlic at the same time, leading to throat or stomach ulcers. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMMM1HVg14g

At the national teaching hospital, Muhimbili, and Mlonganzila Hospital, four steam-booths have been installed: for 2 USD, up to six people can get a 10-minute steam session. The booth was inaugurated by the hospital’s executive director and the director of medical services (the same day, in neighboring Kenya, Dr Amoth, Acting Director-General of MoH-Kenya, received one of the first Covax vaccines…). https://www.mwananchi.co.tz/mw/habari/kitaifa/kujifukiza-muhimbili-mloganzila-sh5000-tu-3311872

Corona (the common name for Covid-19 in Tanzania) is more and more mentioned, but often measures are cast in an overall package of preventing ‘the calamity/plague’ [janga in Swahili] of ‘communicable and non-communicable diseases’ – the terms NCDs and CDs help(ed) MoH officials to avoid the word Corona and address the growing number of cases of ‘respiratory challenges’ over the past months.

Over the last couple of days, the big question on many people’s minds is “Where is Magufuli?” The president has not been seen in public since Feb. 27. He usually attends church on Sundays – where he often gives a televised speech – but not the past 2 weekends. Tuesday evening, Tanzanian twitter got very busy with speculation and rumours that he has Covid-19, that he was flown to Nairobi on Monday night and admitted at Nairobi Hospital.

Soon more reports started coming in, from the Daily Nation in Kenya about an unnamed “African leader taken ill admitted to city hospital.” Everyone who reads the article knows they are referring to Magufuli. Since then, more news outlets are confirming the story on Wednesday but there are still plenty of questions regarding Magufuli’s condition: some mention he had a mild stroke, another writes he is on a ventilator due to Covid-19 complications, another article states he had a cardiac arrest (there have been unconfirmed reports that Mafuguli has a pacemaker). KTN TV reported the story with the headline, “Where is Magufuli?’ and on SABC’s Morning show, the tag said ‘Tanzania’s President reportedly in Kenyan Hospital.

Deutsche Welle relayed the Daily Nation story in their Swahili service – which is broadcast on national and regional radio stations in Tanzania. Reuters, Financial Times, Bloomberg, BBC have now all reported the story with varying degrees of verification. The latest ‘rumour’ is that Magufuli will be evacuated from Kenya (or is already in the air) to Germany or India.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-tanzania/wheres-magufuli-tanzanian-leaders-absence-fuels-health-concern-idUSKBN2B21FWhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-09/tanzanian-opposition-leader-questions-president-s-whereaboutshttps://www.ft.com/content/59854089-61a6-4158-9dc8-b491d4ad6a19https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56347756

Meanwhile, there has been no official statement in Tanzania regarding Magufuli’s whereabouts or condition. Officials are silent, except the young Minister of Information who sternly warned against spreading fake news online.  

From a correspondent in Tanzania