Tanzanian Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan has implied that President John Magufuli could be indisposed but urged people to refrain from rumor-mongering, reported Bloomberg Quint.
“It is quite normal for a person’s body to be indisposed and contract the flu or develop a fever… this is the time for Tanzanians to be united through prayers,” Hassan told Kenya’s KDRTV website, referring to the health of the Tanzanian president.
President Magufuli has not appeared before the public for the last two weeks. The last time he made a public appearance was on February 27. The absence of the president from public functions and appearances had ignited social media with lots of speculations.
“As Tanzanians, we must work together, be united and build our nation. Most of the rumors you hear don’t originate in Tanzania. They come from outside the country. I ask you to ignore them,” the Tanzanian vice president said.
She urged the people to pray, remain united and take Tanzania forward.
Magufuli’s had ordered the country’s health authorities to publish the country’s coronavirus numbers since May last year. His government has reported only 500 cases and 20 deaths since April last year, leading to speculations of a hidden pandemic.
Meanwhile, Tanzania’s main opposition party on Tuesday urged the government to explain the mystery surrounding President Magufuli’s absence, saying the people of the country have the right to know about his whereabouts and who is running the country.
The ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe Kabwe said the constitution of Tanzania allows for the cabinet to submit a resolution before the country’s chief justice to arrange for a medical inquiry to check if the president is not in a condition to discharge his functions due to physical or mental infirmity.
He also called for the release of several people arrested in the country since last week for allegedly spreading false information about the sickness of the Tanzanian president.
