This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
Published on May 18, 2020, Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has expressed his disagreement with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Magufuli stated that he would not impose a lockdown on his country, unlike Kenya, and questioned the effectiveness of a curfew in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
“Ugonjwa huu wa corona ni vita kama vita nyingine, wakati unaanza nilisema siwezi kuruhusu lockdown, imagine unafungiwa ndani hupati hata nafasi ya kuonana na Mkeo?, unafungiwa ndani eti usitembee usiku kana kwamba corona inatembea usiku tu, nikasema hapana” said Magufuli.
Translated, Magufuli's statement reads: 'This COVID-19 pandemic is a battle like any other, when it was first reported I said I will not lock down the country. Imagine you are being locked inside that you don’t even get the chance to meet your wife? You are locked inside so that you don’t walk at night as if Corona is being spread at night, I said no.'
Magufuli also hinted that he plans to reopen schools and sporting activities if the situation remains the same in the coming week.
“Kwa hali hii, kama wiki tunayoianza kesho itaendelea hivi nimepanga kufungua vyuo ili Wanafunzi wetu waendelee kusoma, lakini nimepanga pia kuruhusu michezo iendelee kwasababu michezo ni sehemu ya Burudani, maisha lazima yaendelee,” added the Tanzanian President.
Translated, Magufuli's statement reads: ‘In the current situation, if the coming week will continue this way, I am planning open schools so that our students can continue studying, I have also planned to give way for sporting activities to continue because sporting is part of entertainment and life must continue.'
