The controversy surrounding the absence of Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli continues to elicit controversy with opposition leader Tundu Lissu issuing fresh claims.
Lissu, the CHADEMA leader wrote on his social media handles that Magufuli has been “sneaked” to India for Covid-19 treatment in a bid to cover up his “shame”.
“Latest update from Nairobi: The Man Who Declared Victory Over Corona “was transferred to India this afternoon.” Kenyans don’t want the embarrassment “if the worst happens in Kenya.” His COVID denialism in tatters, his prayer-over-science folly has turned into a deadly boomerang!” he tweeted.
Before this, Lissu had questioned Magufuli’s absence.
“The President’s well-being is a matter of grave public concern. We’re informed when Kikwete had prostate surgery. We’re told when Mkapa went for hip replacement. We’re not kept in the dark when Mwalimu fought leukemia. What’s it with Magufuli that we don’t deserve to know? he posed.
He added that it is sad Magufuli is allegedly battling the same disease he dismissed and projected lots of ignorance to.
“It’s a sad comment on his stewardship of our country that it’s come to this: that he himself had get COVID-19 and be flown out to Kenya in order to prove that prayers, steam inhalations and other unproven herbal concoctions he’s championed are no protection against coronavirus! He added in a different post.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus in March 2020, Magufuli took a different stand from other African leaders declaring Tanzania Covid-free.
However, there were recent reports of a spike in the number of deaths from Covid-19 and Magufuli came out asking Tanzanian to wear facemasks, a departure from his earlier denial that “there is no coronavirus”.
In February, Lissu challenged Magufuli to publish data of the total number of Covid-19 cases in Tanzania so far. Magufuli had earlier barred relevant agencies from publishing this information.
