Tanzania has the highest number of corona virus patients in East Africa. Tanzania’s prime minister today announced that the number of infected individuals has reached four hundred and eighty. He said that sixteen people have lost their lives because of the pandemic and a total of sixty-seven people recovered.

However, some citizens and Tanzania’s opposition led by Freeman Mbowe who is the main opposition says that the Government of Tanzania is downplaying the seriousness of corona virus by not taking extensive measures to fight it, while at the same time hiding information over what has been happening from Tanzanians

Dar es Salaam, the former capital city of Tanzania has the highest number of infected individuals yet, the government of Tanzania has not restricted movements in and out of the city. This has attracted a lot of criticism from various people and politicians too.

“Our cases are shooting up at an alarming rate while many countries are now flattening the curve,” said Freeman Mbowe, of the opposition Chadema party, in a speech broadcast online. Tanzania had its first case of corona virus on March 16. Between then and now, the number has shot from 32 to 480, a scenario that has elicited angry reactions.

Opposition members have criticized the government for waiting for a whole week before announcing new cases. Also, the only places that have been closed in Tanzania are schools. , market places, towns, and business operations are still going on as usual. This has been compared to other East African countries that have imposed more strict measures including curfews, lock downs, and strict social distance measures.

Mbowe said that Magufuli is in a state of denial and has been staying in his home town of Chato in North-Western Tanzania and has been downplaying the seriousness of this pandemic.