Tanzania president John Pombe Magufuli has been silent for a while. During his period of absence from the public eye, corona virus cases in Tanzania rose to 480 while the number of deaths rose to 16. President John Magufuli decided to address the coronavirus pandemic during the labor day speech on Friday 1^st May.

“During this moment the world is struggling with coronavirus pandemic, I want to encourage us Tanzanians to continue doing our work, this disease should not be the reason for us to backtrack. I believe the Almighty God will see us through,” Said president John Pombe Magufuli.

According to president Magufuli, there is no cause of alarm and hence Tanzanians should carry on with their normal businesses as usual. He wants the citizens to observe measures put in place by the government but not to shun away from their normal source of livelihood. However, many expected him to introduce tougher rules considering the souring cases.

President John Magufuli has turned out to be the only president in east Africa who has relaxed the coronavirus measures in his country. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda had to totally lock down the country in the effort to contain the spread. Other countries in east Africa like Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi has had stringent measures put in place.

In east Africa, Tanzania is the most affected country with 480 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease and 16 deaths. Kenya is the second most affected country in east Africa with 411 cases of coronavirus disease and 21 deaths. Rwanda comes third with 243 confirmed cases but no single death from the covid-19 disease. Uganda is the fourth with 83 cases and no death. Burundi is the least affected country in east Africa with 11 cases and 1 death.