Africa

Tanzania president tells citizens to pray to ‘overcome’ COVID-19

Published

4 years ago

February 19, 2021

Fatima Sule

President John Magufuli on Friday called on Tanzanians to pray and fast to “overcome” the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We should turn ourselves to God and he will save us.

“We will not lock down the country now, because I believe that if we submit ourselves to God, this also will .. pass,” Magufuli said live on television, adding that “God is testing us.”

Magufuli’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely criticised.

Earlier this month, Magufuli warned against COVID-19 vaccines, saying they will help spread the virus.

The increasingly autocratic president has introduced hardly any restrictions since the outbreak of the virus, while repeatedly downplaying its danger and questioning the credibility of COVID-19 testing.

Tanzania has not published any official COVID-19 statistics since the beginning of May.

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Fatima Sule

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