AfricaPress-Tanzania: CHAIRMAN of the main opposition party, Freeman Mbowe, has called for an independent national task force involving both private and public stakeholders to review the social and economic impact of the novel coronavirus in the country.
Mbowe who was contributing to the passed budget and expenditure for the office of the Prime Minister, proposed to the government to rethink its priorities during the current global health crisis.
Mr Mbowe, who had just joined his fellow MPs after staying in self-isolation, was angered by people who were making fun of the deadly virus. One of his family members was confirmed to have contracted the novel Coronavirus.
“Coronavirus is real. It cannot be stopped by the country’s territories,” he said, adding that the virus needs to be given the attention it deserves and that this is not the work of the government alone but the whole public.
The politician and legislator for Hai constituency believes that some people, knowingly or unknowingly, make fun of the disease, claiming that the novel virus was a matter of public concern and must involve all public and private stakeholders to deliberate on the best ways to safeguard the nation.
According to the politician, the virus was unstoppable, but most people do not notice because they had not been affected.
“My expectation was that this year’s budget debate could be a bit different…we need to see the government tabling a statement on how it was prepared to respond to the impacts resulting from the coronavirus,” he said.
At least 99 per cent of tour operators have suspended business, and dozens of hotels have closed while foreign tourists have cancelled their reservations to next December, Mr Mbowe said.
Mr Mbowe who went into self-isolation at his home in Dodoma after his son tested positive, said more businesses are being shut down, which is likely to affect foreign direct investments— FDIs for over a year. He said it is obvious the imports too will go down, affecting the country’s plan to generate revenues.
“There is every indication that government revenue collection will fall by at least 40 per cent, and this calls for mitigation,” he said.
He proposed to the government to suspend some of its mega projects and direct its energy in projects that could sustain the country from the pandemic.
He also suggested that the state should learn and adopt some best practices from neighboring Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda which have also been hit by the virus.
