AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT John Magufuli’s handling of the Coronavirus crisis has unarguably been exemplary in African setting and should receive massive public support.
While his government has cautiously and meticulously taken necessary measures to curb the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr Magufuli has ensured the pandemic doesn’t impose serious effects on economies and social wellbeing.
Introduction of quarantines, special Covid-19 hospitals, ramping up tests, suspension of school and college programmes, banning of sports activities, controlling number of passengers in public transport as well as introducing mandatory use of face masks in Dar es Salaam, the most affected region, are just some of the measures taken to control the contagion.
But since the outbreak of the Covid-19 mid last month, JPM has personally assumed the counselling role.
Regularly, the Head of State has implored Tanzanians to take all necessary precautions without compromising their routine activities.
Life should go on and key economic activities should not be affected at all levels, he has always insisted, completely ruling out the possibility of a lockdown as preventive measure.
Our President has clearly embraced the fact that Tanzania should design its own Covid-19 response, suitable for its own needs and the needs of the wananchi.
This, lockdown, is not an option.
And the reasons are clear. Most Tanzanians live from day to day. They rely on daily earnings to buy food and other necessities.
Not only that a lockdown will promote extreme poverty but also cause starvation.
Most of our people live within extended families, with their social welfare provided by relatives. Locking them in will only cause starvation and unbearable despair.
We cannot afford to keep their struggling economies non-functional.
We cannot close our fresh produce markets otherwise people will slide into destitution and hunger.
Fear is more dangerous enemy than the Covid-19 pandemic, and cognisant of fear impact on the livelihood of people, the President has also strongly led the fight against this new enemy.
Being in the presence of a calm and confident leader in the time of crisis helps overcome the fear of pandemic.
It is important that the wananchi rally behind their government’s response and take on board all directives issued by health experts. Market goers should work out how to reduce the risks of transmission.
Measures such as better hygiene, crowd control and face masking should be adhered to.
