Tanzania COVID cases: Nation’s coronavirus lie exposed on live TV

A press conference held to reassure Tanzanians coronavirus wasn’t killing its citizens horribly backfired on live television.

It had supposedly defeated coronavirus through the power of prayer and herbal remedies, but now a distressing live press conference has spectacularly backfired on the Tanzanian government, as the truth was revealed.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic killing almost 2.5 million people globally, the east African nation of around 60 million people has claimed to have only had 509 virus cases and just 21 deaths.

It’s a remarkable achievement. Particularly given neighbouring Kenya, which has a similar population, has had 104,000 COVID-19 cases and almost 2000 deaths during several waves of the virus.

During the pandemic, the Tanzanian government has refused to send its citizens into lockdown, opting instead to rely on the power of prayer, traditional healing techniques like steam inhalation, and natural “cures” such as ginger and lemonade.

Tanzania’s coronavirus crisis is beginning to be exposed with the unexpected deaths of high-profile politicians. Picture: AFP

Tanzania President John Magufuli – nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for his authoritarian nature – put a stop to any counting of cases in May last year and declared a month later in June that the nation had eliminated the virus after three days of fasting and prayers.

However, that mirage has been shattered in the past week, with a number of politicians unexpectedly dying and a disturbing press conference being held overnight.

Seif Sharif Hamad, one of Tanzania’s highest-profile politicians, died last week, with his political party admitting he had contracted coronavirus. Mr Magufuli’s chief secretary also died in recent days, though the cause was not revealed.

Then this week, rumours began to circulate that Finance Minister Philip Mpango had died from the disease.

In a bid to shoot down those rumours, Mr Mpango held a press conference from outside a hospital in capital Dodoma where he had been a recent patient.

The plan was he would announce he was healthy and being discharged from hospital after 14 days. But it horribly backfired.

“I came to the hospital with my oxygen cylinder but in the last three days I did not use it because my health has improved,” he said before breaking into a fit of coughs.

Surrounded by doctors, Mr Mpango was clearly in distress as he coughed and gasped his way through the rest of the appearance, without revealing what he was suffering from.

With his voice trembling, he sent condolences over the spate of prominent deaths attributed to “pneumonia” and “respiratory challenges”.

RELATED: Truth behind nation’s claim to be virus-free

Tanzania’s Finance Minister Philip Mpango appeared to be in distress during the press conference.

Mr Mpango was not wearing a mask and was flanked by a doctor and a hospital director – both also maskless – while about 10 journalists attended the conference.

“If you physically look at him, he was not supposed to talk at all but probably there was pressure behind,” one of those present, who asked not to be identified, told AFP.

On social media, people expressed horror at the scene, including opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

“Has the intelligence of our leaders reached this level? Who allowed this patient to cough on people, instead of being in hospital for treatment or bed rest?” he wrote on Twitter.

“What kind of doctor is this who was coughed on without [a] mask? What are you trying to prove by this recklessness?”

On Sunday, World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appealed to Tanzania to take “robust action” against COVID-19, after several travellers from the country tested positive.

Tanzania stopped releasing data on COVID-19 in April 2020.

In May last year, President Magufuli cast doubt on the credibility of COVID testing, saying that he had secretly had some animals and fruits tested and that a papaya (paw-paw), a quail and a goat had all tested positive.

A devout Catholic who has a PhD in chemistry, he had previously termed coronavirus a “devil” that could be beaten with God’s help.

Last year, his coronavirus response was to ask citizens to turn to prayer, with the government even setting aside days to do so, as well as using homegrown cures.

One such remedy was inhaling the steam of boiled neem leaves, known as “mwarubaini” – meaning “40 cures”.

Last week, Mr Magufuli finally admitted Tanzania has a coronavirus problem, revealing some of his aides and family members had contracted COVID-19 but recovered, as well as giving some lukewarm support for the wearing of masks.

Ironically Mr Magufuli (R) was one of the first world leaders to embrace the ‘Wuhan handshake’. Picture: Tanzanian Presidency via Getty Images

“Let us all depend on God as we also take other preventive measures. I put God first and that is why I do not wear a mask,” he said.

On Monday, the United States issued a “do not travel” warning to Tanzania, due to the spread of the virus. The next day, Oman said it would not allow people from Tanzania to enter the Gulf country for 15 days, while neighbouring Kenya announced on Wednesday that its athletes were banned from competing in Tanzania’s top marathon race on Saturday over concerns about the pandemic.

But the Tanzanian government is still using cryptic terms to refer to those who have contracted or died from the virus.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Tanzanian physician Frank Minja said authorities have been speaking about COVID-19 “in very general terms” and with euphemisms, which he described as problematic.

“[Health authorities would say,] ‘You have a viral pneumonia, you have very severe pneumonia, you have difficulty breathing’; we’re talking about inventing general terms,” Dr Minja said.

“We can’t just talk about infectious diseases in general. Yes, they have given advice in general, but we have to alert people that we have three methods that actually work against COVID-19: Masks, washing your hands and avoiding large crowds.”

– with AFP