THE ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has announced suspension of all its internal and outdoor meetings which normally attract huge crowds as a response to Coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The party has also postponed all countrywide working tours scheduled to be conducted by party leaders including Vice Chairman Mr Philip Mangula, Secretary General Dr Bashiru Ally and other senior officials.
CCM’s Secretary for Publicity and Ideology Mr Humphrey Polepole told at a press conference on Tuesday that the gatherings have been postponed until further notice as the party heeds advice by health experts.
“But the ban won’t affect meetings that are in the calendar of the party including the meetings of the Central Committee (CC) and others at the regional and district level that are normally attended by few people,” he said.
He said CCM has also instructed the government to ensure all public and private institutions have placed hand sanitisers and masks to keep all people safe all the time.
“It’s good that the government responded immediately after the first case was confirmed,” he said.
“As the party, we have also installed sanitisers to have all who are coming in, to clean their hands at the main entry for the safety of all of us,” added Mr Polepole.
He went on to urge Tanzanians to pay attention and adhere to all guidelines issued by the government in protecting themselves from further spreading of the virus.
The party has already instructed the government in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar to put in place all precaution measures at all country’s gateways to check the spread of the deadly virus, according to Mr Polepole.
Meanwhile, the party has commended President John Magufuli for cancelling this year’s Uhuru Torch race whose budget amounting to one billion will now be spent to contain the spread of COVID-19.
When addressing a press conference on Monday about the occurrence of COVID-19 case in the country, the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ms Ummy Mwalimu said among the preventive measures is washing hands with plenty of soap and clean water.
“Also, people should avoid handshake, mass gathering, touching eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands as well as cancelling trips to countries that have reported to have recorded coronavirus cases,” she said.
According to the minister, Tanzanians should also consider cancelling all unnecessary trips until the situation is fully contained, assuring that the government is taking all measures to address the challenge.
