What they say about us
What they say about us
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Wacha1
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Tanzania, Malawi cross rubicon
Credit: Karoli Ssemogerere
Tanzania, Malawi cross rubicon
Early this week, Malawi and Tanzania produced big news. First Malawi swore in a new president, Pastor Lazarus Chakwera, who speaks with quite some confidence. He defeated incumbent president Peter Mutharika in the re-run of the 2019 general election, which had been cancelled by the High Court. The re-run left in place Parliament whose 196 members were elected last year and a female speaker, a first for their country.
A number of applications by the Electoral Commission came to court. Then there was an application to keep the Chief Justice in office, whose official term was approaching expiry. The courts considered this issue and ruled he was still in office until the last day of his constitutional term. In the end, everyone seemed exhausted. The former president’s former wife crossed to the Opposition.
The Malawi Congress Party led Malawi to independence under Hastings Kamuzu Banda, an elder in the Scottish Prysbeterian Church, highly educated, who did the bidding of the former colonial masters. At the time of his exit, old age had washed off his senility, but the State still functioned and it did during this period. His official companion Cecilia Kadzamira died a few years later.
Many of these countries have interesting features of state. Malawi’s State House is a Chinese construction just like Tanzania’s Ubunge’s building in Dodoma. Images of former presidents of Tanzania sitting relaxed off the chamber made it easy to sell their successor’s election. So for Malawi – why and how did they succeed? First from independence, whether under one party and later multiparty, the country has been holding regular elections, leaders have come and gone and even died. The instability factor is linked to excessive borrowing. The country is poor, but also culturally stable.
Tanzania on its own is an ipso facto one -party state. Tanzania’ main Opposition party, Chadema, dominates the politics in the northeast, but seems to have little interest elsewhere.
For years, this has been the norm, People from Chaggaland are relatively wealthy, they grow coffee. But now things are changing, agribusiness in cash crops like sisal, sugarcane is seeing private sector activity. When we talk to colleagues in Tanzania, who are now farming, they seem to have grabbed it at the right scale.
One of the favourite photos of friends of my friend is a trip with his family to visit his grandmother. The family travelled by jet service. The photo was so much fun. The second photo was the dad doing homework with his doctors around a large table before school begun and acres of sugarcane. In Uganda, you have to be a big sugarman to manage such acreage.
Yet today, Tanzania has officially made it to the middle income status designated by the World Bank. In 1978-1979, Tanzania bankrupted itself overthrowing Amin - more of Amin’s mistake rather than Nyerere’s mistake. Installing Obote a second time carried a lot of baggage that Obote himself even with arms and bills Uganda to repay back did not work. By 1985, Nyerere had left the scene survived another 14 years till he died in 1999.
The World Bank’s designation is a major development for Tanzania, the calm giant. Most indicators in this mineral and agricultural-rich country are up. A villager in Musoma has big dreams after excavating two Tanzanite rocks worth $12 million.
When I shared the post on my page, some of my NRM friends tried to trivialise this great news. I was surprised. We haven’t been trading with our giant neighbour yet most illegal travel during the current pandemic has been from Tanzania rather than Kenya.
Middle income status at $1,000 means Tanzania now has a GDP of $50 billion. Other signs of this wealth are interesting. When Tanzanians come to Uganda, they seem to have money in need of shopping. A friend told me they come with big delegations. I salute our neighbours and liberators.''
Mr Ssemogerere is an Attorney-At-Law and an Advocate.
Wacha1
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''DAR ES SALAAM, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has categorized Tanzania as a lower-middle income country after the country made economic reforms, including making consistent plans and taking hard decisions aimed at improving its economic development, a senior official said on Thursday.
"Discipline in financial expenditure and the prevailing peace and tranquility also helped the country to earn the middle income status from the World Bank," Hassan Abbasi, the chief government spokesperson told a news conference in the capital Dodoma.
Abbasi spoke after the World Bank on Wednesday declared Tanzania a middle income country, a goal that has been achieved five years ahead of the country's schedule. Tanzania had planned to gain the middle income status in 2025.
Abbasi said other values that made the east African nation to earn the middle income status included the reinforcement of the leadership ethics, the implementation of flagship projects and investment in human development. Responding to the World Bank's announcement, President John Magufuli tweeted on Wednesday commending his fellow Tanzanians for the achievement.
"We had envisaged achieving this status by 2025 but with strong determination this has been possible in 2020," Magufuli wrote in the tweet. Tanzania last year recorded an economic growth of seven percent, making the country one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
Tanzania is the second largest economy in East Africa and becomes the second East African Community member state to achieve the middle-income status after Kenya.''
Wacha1
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COVID-19 Diaries: Can Tanzania Really Be Coronavirus-Free?
Credit: Ruud Elmendorp
July 20, 2020 12:07 PM
COVID-19 Diaries: Can Tanzania Really Be Coronavirus-Free?
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA - Today I decided to do my own coronavirus survey, here in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania. The reason is that I am trying to deal with my confusion.
Two countries in the world don’t report cases of COVID-19 because, officially, it is not there. These are North Korea and… Tanzania. And yes, I happen to be locked down in Dar es Salaam, the main city of… Tanzania.
The number of countries that have reported cases of COVID-19 now stands at 188. I don’t know how I managed to end up in a country that claims not to have the coronavirus, but I did. My arrival in Tanzania was on March 16 and I have been here ever since, safely staying at the Mikadi Beach Camp.
The country stopped reporting cases of COVID-19 on April 29 with 509 infections at the time. But a few weeks ago, President Magufuli declared the pandemic in Tanzania officially over and said people should resume normal lives without even having to wear facemasks.
He said God had solved the issue with a divine intervention after national prayers. "Corona cannot survive in the body of Christ; it will burn,” the president had said.
However, in countries surrounding Tanzania, the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising. South Africa is recording 12,000 news cases per day on average, and in countries like Rwanda and Uganda, the virus is slowly spreading. Kenya has 500 new cases per day on average.
Furthermore Kenya and South Africa are reporting a shortage of hospital beds to take care of people who develop life-threatening symptoms.
So this morning I decided to leave our beach sanctuary, which has kept us safe for more than three months, and go for a survey in town.
The first leap of faith was taking the ferry from the southern part of the city to the central business district. As expected, the ferry was packed with people and cars, there were hardly any facemasks and no physical distancing whatsoever. Amazing, but not strange in a country that has been declared to be coronavirus-free.
I took some comfort from the fact I was wearing a fresh three-ply surgical facemask, but my best efforts to keep some kind of distance from others was in vain.
“There is no Corona in Tanzania,” said the motorbike driver who took me from the ferry into the central business district. And indeed, everywhere I looked there was the normal buzz of Dar es Salaam as I knew it from previous trips.
The shops are open, there are street markets and there are men seated on the street having their conversations. There are the people with sewing machines, the street food kiosks, all connected by the hooting of passing cars and tuk-tuks.
There were hardly any facemasks, and at times it felt like people were looking at me as an alien from outer space with my beautiful mask.
‘There is Corona in Italy, not in Tanzania,’ said the lady at the coffee shop where I was accustomed to having a double espresso. At that moment it occurred to me that for strict Muslim women, it’s easy to comply with face covering since they were already doing that.
If there were a health crisis caused by the coronavirus, a number of vulnerable people would unfortunately die from it. So I decided to visit graveyards. This wouldn’t enable me to do a statistically reliable survey, but there should be signs of an increased death rate in the form of new graves, or a cluster of recent death dates, or signs that the graveyards are filling up.
I had seen similar signs of tragedy in Zambia during the HIV epidemic, and in Angola during the Marburg virus epidemic.
Here in Dar es Salaam, I visited three graveyards in the center of the city. To my astonishment I found one or two new graves per graveyard, with the newest one dated in June. The median age in Tanzania is low, so I would expect a lower mortality rate, but if the country was suffering a major epidemic like in the United States, Brazil or Russia, there should have been more.
Then I passed by a hospital. Entering proved difficult because of tight security. But the entrance of the main hospital in Dar es Salaam showed no signs of panic. There were no ambulances rushing in and out, no beds outside on the compound marking a crisis.
The situation looked normal except that the hospital staff were wearing facemasks, even the guards. So that was the first sign that there could be something going on, but it’s hard to draw conclusions based on only that.
It’s the same with civil servants in Tanzania; they are all wearing facemasks and gloves. Is there something we don’t know? Another sign was that the hotel where I stayed last year was closed, but that could be because of a lack of tourists. Staying in Tanzania for months, we didn’t hear about any of the lodge staff having lost relatives or friends. So is there really no coronavirus in Tanzania?
Getting weary of being locked down, last week we decided to go to a club since they are open in Tanzania. Health specialists say this poses the greatest risk of contracting the coronavirus.
We danced, we drank, we were holding each other and we laughed. It is now weeks later and none of us has developed symptoms. This can be luck, or we became asymptomatic, who knows, but still …
Maybe Tanzania just did it by closing the borders quickly and the virus never spread. Maybe the Tanzanian Covidol potion inspired on a Madagascar recipe really worked. We at least took several shots of it and we didn’t get sick.
But a few days later I spoke with a colleague working for an international organization. He warned me that the coronavirus is still around in Tanzania and should be taken seriously. He told me he and his colleagues were working from home and advised me to remain careful.
Also, there have been numerous news reports of truck drivers in Tanzania testing positive at the border with Kenya. No more going to the disco then.
It all leads to confusion in the head.
On the way back to the lodge I decided to have a Tanzanian rice pilau dish in a street restaurant, all of which are also open. This is what I used to do during normal days, and having an indigenous Tanzanian pilau again was great.
While enjoying the pilau among Tanzanians with no facemasks, I listened to a public address by President Kenyatta of Kenya, my home. He ended the lockdown of the capital Nairobi and the second city Mombasa, but maintained a curfew to control the spread of the virus. The country is recording a surge in the number of new infections, but he also has to revive the economy.
Meanwhile here in Tanzania we just don’t know what is happening. There might be an invisible danger roaming through the lively streets, or not.
Kenyatta also announced that international flights to Kenya would resume from August 1. At least from then I’ll be free to travel home from supposedly infection-free Tanzania to infected Kenya.
I’m not sure what’s wisdom because maybe there is no coronavirus in Tanzania, but I will take the risk. The coronavirus is not going to defeat me. I will go back home to my girlfriend.
USA na hoja zao - Tanzania sio salama wanaumbuka mchana kweupe. Nilisema hapo kitambo watume waandishi wao, na kweli wanakuja na kujionea wenyewe.
Hapo kweny
Hapo kwenye " he is leading to graveyard" Mungu ajalie atangulie yeye mwenyewe kwanza.
Wacha1
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KLM walivyotua kwa kishindo jana Kilimanjaro Airport kabla ya kwenda Dar then kurudi Amsterdam.
Habari za jikoni zinasema watalii karibu 200 na ushee walitua kwenda Serengeti, Ngorongoro nk
Watanzania walikuwepo kuwakaribisha watalii ... ...
Wacha1
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A 'magical' time to visit Tanzania
A 'magical' time to visit Tanzania: Travel Weekly
Credit: Jeri Clausing
Every crisis has a silver lining or two. And for adventurous travelers with the means, the widespread shutdown in global travel has created opportunities for truly one-in-a-lifetime adventures.
"It's literally like having a private home overlooking the Serengeti," said Justin Stevens of the Four Seasons Safari Lodge. Photo Credit: Four Seasons
In Tanzania, for instance, one of the few countries Americans are allowed to visit without restriction, the solitude offered right now is like "going back in time," says Justin Stevens, general manager of the Four Seasons Safari Lodge in Serengeti National Park.
While the lodge won't officially reopen until Sept. 1, it is opening its five pool villas this month for those seeking private stays and the chance to see the great migration on an almost exclusive basis.
"There is nobody here," Stevens said in a recent phone interview. "I just drove 10 minutes away from the lodge and came across a nice little pride of 11 lions, three adults and their cubs. I spent three hours with them and there was not a single other car." August is normally one of the busiest months on the Serengeti because of school vacations and the change to see the great migration's Mara river crossing, Stevens said. And that means there Stephens said there can be up to a dozen safari vehicles vying for views at any given time.
But now, there have been reports from across Africa of wildlife lounging on roads and generally out in greater display across the areas where safari vehicles normally roam. Tour operators have said safaris are popular products amongst traveler rebooking for 2021, meaning this year could offer a rare chance for travelers to experience Africa more exclusively.
"With the impact of travel restrictions and limited international flights seen this year, we expect the national park to be far quieter than any August in recent history, making our Private Villa Experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" he said.
Under the program, each of the Four Seasons' five pool villas, which range in size from one to three bedrooms, comes with its own safari guide and butler, and personally curated meals will be delivered to the villa. And while the main lodge is closed, guests can still arrange to use its facilities, such as its main infinity pool.
Since each villa has its own driver, guest cans do as many game drive as they'd like. "It's literally like having a private home overlooking the Serengeti," Stevens said. Stevens said most of the guests they have booked for near-term travel are flying private. But several airlines, including Turkish Airlines and Emirates are set to return this month. "I know it's not the greatest time to travel, but it you can get to the Serengeti now it is absolutely magical," he said.
Next stop .... ... .. .
Wacha1
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Tanzania’s tourism sector rebounds as virus fears wane
Credit:Tanzania’s tourism sector rebounds as virus fears wane | TurkishPress
Hordes of tourists are flocking to Tanzania as fears over the coronavirus pandemic are rapidly fading, raising hopes for the country’s hardest-hit tourism sector, which is emerging from the ravages of the deadly pathogen.
Despite a perceived lack of transparency over the extent of COVID-19 infections in Tanzania, foreign tourists have not been deterred from visiting the country and catching a glimpse of its breath-taking attractions. The East African country reported 509 COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths in late April, when authorities stopped publishing the pandemic’s tally after they questioned the effectiveness of Chinese-made COVID-19 testing kits, which they suspected were defective, drawing a barrage of criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The authorities claimed that the kits had returned positive results on samples secretly taken from a goat, pawpaw fruit and wild bird, allegations which the WHO rebutted. Despite the controversy, which almost certainly kept visitors at bay, the country has managed to restore tourists’ confidence, as no visible signs of new coronavirus infections have been reported lately.
Declaring victory against the deadly pandemic in June, President John Magufuli assured visitors that the country is safe from the coronavirus, adding social and economic activities including tourism must continue. As the pathogen is still taking its deadly toll in other parts of the world, the situation is different in Tanzania, where residents go about their business as usual and virtually nobody wears a mask.
“I feel much safer. Why should I waste my money to buy a Barakoa [face mask]? There is no coronavirus in our country,” said Amina Kidau, a vegetable vendor in the capital, Dar es Salaam.
Tourism is one of the cornerstones of Tanzania’s economy, contributing about 17.2% to the country’s gross domestic product and 25% of all foreign exchange revenues. The sector, which provides direct employment for more than 600,000 people, generated approximately $2.4 billion in 2018, government statistics show. As one of Africa’s favourite tourist destinations, Tanzania is known for its breath taking attractions, including stunning landscapes dotted with wildlife and a rich cultural heritage.
But due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in mid-March this year, the country’s tourism sector has incurred huge losses due to travel restrictions imposed by governments worldwide to quell the menacing virus.
Hamisi Kigwangalla, the minister of tourism and natural resources, told parliament in June that the number of tourists who visited the country had sharply declined by 76% from 1.9 million last year to approximately 437,000.
Despite the gloomy atmosphere, the sector is rebounding, as the onset of the peak tourism season has ushered in a new era as major international airlines resume flights to the country’s northern tourism circuit, offering a ray of hope for the industry. International airlines including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Swiss Air and Emirates, which halted flights in mid-March, are now flying to and from Tanzania.
At Kilimanjaro International Airport, nestled at the foot of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, a group of Masai warriors in dazzling outfits sang and leapt in the air as a KLM plane carrying 177 tourists slowly taxied under plumes of sprinkled water as it received a traditional salute to grace its maiden arrival.
“We have won the confidence of tourists, and the world knows that we have all necessary public health measures in place to ensure the safety of our visitors,” said Kilimanjaro regional commissioner Anna Mghwira.
Even though Africa is expected to cross the threshold of one million reported coronavirus cases, Tanzania has not recorded a single case since late April. The president, who has sneered at social distancing and mask-wearing, said the power of prayers has helped quell the virus in the country.
In its recent travel advisory, Tanzania’s Health Ministry allayed fears over COVID-19 infections, saying it has instituted strict measures including a requirement for on-board passengers to submit proof that they have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours.
Although there is no mandatory quarantine period in place, temperature checks, mask wearing and social distancing are in effect. “All international travellers should observe adherence to prevention measures such as hand-washing, wearing masks and keeping physical distancing,” read the statement.
Thomas Mihayo, chairman of the Tanzania Tourist Board, a government agency tasked with overseeing the tourism sector, said he is upbeat about the sector’s recovery, adding the government has adopted strategies to make the industry more sustainable in the future. “We recognize that tourism is an important pillar of our economy. We will do everything to revive its old glory,” he said.
Selous National Park, which attracted more than 60,000 tourists last year, has seen an increasing number of visitors since June, raising hope for a full recovery.
Iver Jackobsen, who arrived from Sweden recently, visited Selous, where he saw a killer leopard grabbing her prey with her strong front paws and dragging it as she fast climbed up a tree and vanished in obscurity.
“I have never seen such a moment before. I have documented it to show my children,” he said.
Jackobsen said he is satisfied with the measures the authorities are taking to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. Ester Meena, a tour guide with the Nkweshoo Cultural Tourism Program on the green slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, was until March hosting hundreds of tourists before the coronavirus brought most of the excursion tours to a sudden halt, affecting her income.
“It felt like mourning the loss of our livelihoods, but thank God the business is slowly returning,” said Meena, who guides tourists through cultural and historical attractions. As the tourism peak season unfolds, she is filled with optimism.
“I strongly believe the industry will bounce back, but it will take some time.”
Tanzania tunasonga mbele, watalii watakuja tu wapende wasipende.
Credit:Tanzania’s tourism sector rebounds as virus fears wane | TurkishPress
Hordes of tourists are flocking to Tanzania as fears over the coronavirus pandemic are rapidly fading, raising hopes for the country’s hardest-hit tourism sector, which is emerging from the ravages of the deadly pathogen.
Despite a perceived lack of transparency over the extent of COVID-19 infections in Tanzania, foreign tourists have not been deterred from visiting the country and catching a glimpse of its breath-taking attractions. The East African country reported 509 COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths in late April, when authorities stopped publishing the pandemic’s tally after they questioned the effectiveness of Chinese-made COVID-19 testing kits, which they suspected were defective, drawing a barrage of criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The authorities claimed that the kits had returned positive results on samples secretly taken from a goat, pawpaw fruit and wild bird, allegations which the WHO rebutted. Despite the controversy, which almost certainly kept visitors at bay, the country has managed to restore tourists’ confidence, as no visible signs of new coronavirus infections have been reported lately.
Declaring victory against the deadly pandemic in June, President John Magufuli assured visitors that the country is safe from the coronavirus, adding social and economic activities including tourism must continue. As the pathogen is still taking its deadly toll in other parts of the world, the situation is different in Tanzania, where residents go about their business as usual and virtually nobody wears a mask.
“I feel much safer. Why should I waste my money to buy a Barakoa [face mask]? There is no coronavirus in our country,” said Amina Kidau, a vegetable vendor in the capital, Dar es Salaam.
Tourism is one of the cornerstones of Tanzania’s economy, contributing about 17.2% to the country’s gross domestic product and 25% of all foreign exchange revenues. The sector, which provides direct employment for more than 600,000 people, generated approximately $2.4 billion in 2018, government statistics show. As one of Africa’s favourite tourist destinations, Tanzania is known for its breath taking attractions, including stunning landscapes dotted with wildlife and a rich cultural heritage.
But due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in mid-March this year, the country’s tourism sector has incurred huge losses due to travel restrictions imposed by governments worldwide to quell the menacing virus.
Hamisi Kigwangalla, the minister of tourism and natural resources, told parliament in June that the number of tourists who visited the country had sharply declined by 76% from 1.9 million last year to approximately 437,000.
Despite the gloomy atmosphere, the sector is rebounding, as the onset of the peak tourism season has ushered in a new era as major international airlines resume flights to the country’s northern tourism circuit, offering a ray of hope for the industry. International airlines including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Swiss Air and Emirates, which halted flights in mid-March, are now flying to and from Tanzania.
At Kilimanjaro International Airport, nestled at the foot of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, a group of Masai warriors in dazzling outfits sang and leapt in the air as a KLM plane carrying 177 tourists slowly taxied under plumes of sprinkled water as it received a traditional salute to grace its maiden arrival.
“We have won the confidence of tourists, and the world knows that we have all necessary public health measures in place to ensure the safety of our visitors,” said Kilimanjaro regional commissioner Anna Mghwira.
Even though Africa is expected to cross the threshold of one million reported coronavirus cases, Tanzania has not recorded a single case since late April. The president, who has sneered at social distancing and mask-wearing, said the power of prayers has helped quell the virus in the country.
In its recent travel advisory, Tanzania’s Health Ministry allayed fears over COVID-19 infections, saying it has instituted strict measures including a requirement for on-board passengers to submit proof that they have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours.
Although there is no mandatory quarantine period in place, temperature checks, mask wearing and social distancing are in effect. “All international travellers should observe adherence to prevention measures such as hand-washing, wearing masks and keeping physical distancing,” read the statement.
Thomas Mihayo, chairman of the Tanzania Tourist Board, a government agency tasked with overseeing the tourism sector, said he is upbeat about the sector’s recovery, adding the government has adopted strategies to make the industry more sustainable in the future. “We recognize that tourism is an important pillar of our economy. We will do everything to revive its old glory,” he said.
Selous National Park, which attracted more than 60,000 tourists last year, has seen an increasing number of visitors since June, raising hope for a full recovery.
Iver Jackobsen, who arrived from Sweden recently, visited Selous, where he saw a killer leopard grabbing her prey with her strong front paws and dragging it as she fast climbed up a tree and vanished in obscurity.
“I have never seen such a moment before. I have documented it to show my children,” he said.
Jackobsen said he is satisfied with the measures the authorities are taking to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. Ester Meena, a tour guide with the Nkweshoo Cultural Tourism Program on the green slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, was until March hosting hundreds of tourists before the coronavirus brought most of the excursion tours to a sudden halt, affecting her income.
“It felt like mourning the loss of our livelihoods, but thank God the business is slowly returning,” said Meena, who guides tourists through cultural and historical attractions. As the tourism peak season unfolds, she is filled with optimism.
“I strongly believe the industry will bounce back, but it will take some time.”
Tanzania tunasonga mbele, watalii watakuja tu wapende wasipende.
Wacha1
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On safari in Tanzania, the country that tackled Covid with lemon, ginger and prayer
Credit: Sarah Marshall
https://uk.style.yahoo.com/safari-tanzania-country-tackled-covid-094853465.html
Rather than ‘follow the science’, Tanzania’s 120-plus tribes turned to their own medical cabinets in the bush -
Early in the pandemic, President John Magufuli made the controversial decision to ignore lockdowns, leading the country to be dubbed the Sweden of Africa. Herd immunity, however, wasn’t the core motivation; under an authoritarian government, where citizens are compelled to toe the line, it was more a case of following the herd.
Borders have remained open, there are no testing requirements for entry, and anyone is allowed in. It sounds like a melting pot for a Covid casserole, but extraordinarily, official figures suggest there have been only 509 cases and 21 deaths – although those statistics haven’t been updated since May. Surprisingly, for a country that believes the virus packed its bags months ago, there are still safety protocols in place: temperature checks, social distancing and masks were all required in Dar es Salaam airport when I arrived.
I found it reassuring to know that even though the pandemic wasn’t ruling people’s lives, a lack of safety measures hadn’t put them at risk. Just like the virus, it seemed most Tanzanians had moved on.
John Magufuli refused to keep the country locked down - Getty
“We prayed it away,” insisted my local guide, David, as we drove from Kilimanjaro to Arusha. “Most people rely on chemicals and medicine, but there are far greater powers.” Rather than ‘follow the science’, Tanzania’s 120-plus tribes turned to their own medical cabinets in the bush – burning incense, concocting remedies and brewing teas.
City-dwellers were also advised to adopt tried-and-tested homeopathic methods, sending sales of lemon and ginger through the roof. “If we have flu, we don’t go to the doctor. We just go to the farm,” laughed David. “We don’t care too much about hygiene either; that helps with immunity too.”
In Arusha, I witnessed scenes I’d long forgotten in Europe: crowds squeezing through market stalls; bars spilling with noisy revellers; friends greeting each other with hugs in the street. No-one was wearing a mask.
“You’d feel shy if you went into a village with one on,” explained David.
Street art in Dar es Salaam. Few people wear masks, however - Getty
Tourists to Tanzania, however, exist in a parallel universe. At Asilia’s Sayari camp in the north of the Serengeti National Park, all members of staff wore face coverings. A hand sanitizer station was positioned at the entrance, meals were served individually to allow social distancing, and most guests were fortunate enough to have their own private vehicles. (Passenger numbers have been reduced to a maximum of four, and a lucky few get to game drive solo at no extra cost.)
Even the layout of the revamped camp fits the ‘new safari normal’: spread like an eagle’s outstretched wings, tents extend two sides of a communal area featuring the world’s first craft brewery in the bush. Yes, that’s right, even if pubs are locked down at home – you can still get a pint on tap here.
Many of the seasonal mobile camps that would usually set up along the Mara river have chosen not to open this year, meaning the only crowds I encountered during my stay were dense clusters of wildebeest.
A family of wildebeest - Getty
When 3,000 of the indecisive gnus finally crashed down dusty banks and across the river, I was one of only 15 people within splashing distance. Twelve months ago, a thunder of hooves would have been eclipsed by the roaring of engines jostling for position. Now that wasn’t the case.
“For a crossing like this, there would usually be around 70 vehicles,” shrugged young Maasai guide Moinga, clearly relieved he could concentrate on the wildlife rather than having to manoeuvre for a decent view. Other animal encounters were also intimate on a scale I imagine only Attenborough’s film crews get to experience; we solo scouted a tumble of kopjes to find lions perched on granite thrones, and redefined three’s a crowd when tracking mating leopards for two days.
In the Central Serengeti, typically a log jam of self-drivers, guides were forced to use their own skills to pan the never-ending plains, rather than lazily relying on parked vehicles to locate animals. One morning, it was so quiet I even watched a pangolin cross the road.
While the absence of crowds is a boon for those who do travel, it’s had a devastating impact on local people’s lives. The fact I was the sole occupant at Elewana Pioneer Camp – a nostalgic, 12-tent property tucked into a rocky outcrop, where screeching hyrax huddle in crevices and overwhelming views stretch into a hazy horizon – would have obvious long-term implications.
Tourists have the wildlife to themselves right now - Getty
“It’s been quiet this year,” sighed genteel manager Rodgers. “The company will need to look at retrenchment soon.” Ever resourceful, many Tanzanians have set up ‘corona businesses’ as a substitute for lost income – side-lines in keeping chickens, growing vegetables or cultivating crops. This type of subsistence living has essentially kept people alive.
Not that death has been knocking on every door. Admittedly, I’d half expected to unveil dark tales of body-bags in streets and secret burials. But aside from rumours of an increase in the number of pneumonia cases, any mass conspiracy to cover up deaths has never transpired. “We live in small communities,” one guide pointed out. “If people were dying or going into hospital, we’d know about it.”
Not everyone buys into the idea low infection rates are purely down to divine intervention, though. One plausible explanation lies in demographics. In a population where the median age is 17.7, there are few elderly people; those who manage to survive into their 60s rarely move far from rural homes.
But there’s also a major element of luck.
“Our government took a big risk,” one guide, who preferred to remain anonymous, told me. “This is a hand-to-mouth economy, so in many ways they had no choice; a lockdown would have resulted in widespread poverty.” It appears the gamble has paid off. Tanzania’s economy could register one of the highest growth rates in the world for 2020, according to predictions by the IMF. Tourists are also slowly returning, with the East African country topping the list of African enquiries for operator Abercrombie & Kent. And, thanks to the responsible interventions of lodges and hotels, going on a safari there need not involve any extra Covid risk.
So far, Tanzania has miraculously escaped the grip of the pandemic – even if it’s been on a wing and 72 hours of prayer.
Many combine a safari in Tanzania with a trip to Zanzibar - Getty
Just for a moment imagine if JPM was a president of one of the European Countries.
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Unfinished Business: Magufuli’s Autocratic Rule in Tanzania | Center for Strategic and International Studies (csis.org)
Credit: Marielle HarrisAutocratic Rule in Tanzania
February 5, 2021
Tanzanian president John Magufuli is dragging the East African nation deeper into authoritarianism. His first term consisted of assaults on Tanzania’s political opposition, civil society, and media—as well as nationalist economic policies that stifled foreign direct investment. His second term, emboldened by his October 2020 reelection against a backdrop of voter suppression, portends a tightened grip on information, increased alienation of foreign businesses, and a deepened isolationist stance, especially as Magufuli casts doubt on the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Past as Prologue
Magufuli dealt a severe blow to plurality and personal freedoms during his first five years in office in what was likely only a preview of the repression to take place in his second term. His attacks on high-profile members of the political opposition began as soon as he entered office in 2015. His administration is widely believed to have been behind the 2017 shooting of Tundu Lissu, deputy chairman of the Chadema opposition party and Magufuli’s key rival in the October 2020 election. The National Electoral Commission (NEC)—firmly under executive control—suspended Lissu’s 2020 campaign for seven days and denied registrations of candidacy to over 1,000 Chadema contenders for local council. Magufuli also passed legislation to justify government censorship of civil society actors and media groups that demand transparency or challenge the government’s narrative. In the past two years, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party enacted at least four new laws that restrict operations of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), allowing the government to monitor, deregister, and suspend civil society groups. And within 2020 alone, Magufuli’s administration fined at least 10 media outlets and temporarily suspended programming of at least six media channels.Magufuli also implemented a nationalist economic agenda and will almost certainly continue to double down on this approach during the next five years. During his first term, Magufuli choked the regulatory environment for foreign businesses in a misguided attempt to achieve economic justice and strengthen national industry. During his first full year in office, Magufuli sued Canadian-owned Barrick Gold Corporation for $190 billion in retrospective taxes on alleged undeclared gold exports, later reaching a $300 million settlement. He also introduced new legislation demanding the Tanzanian government own at least 16 percent stake in all foreign mining projects. In a recent grab at power, Magufuli announced a decision to move the government’s investment portfolio to his executive office, where he will be able to closely monitor ongoing investment deals. He also barred regional businesses from accessing the Tanzanian market, placing bans on dairy firms and tightening restrictions on Kenyan imports of unprocessed goods.
In addition to attacks on the political opposition, civil society, and regional and international businesses, Magufuli has waged a war on statistics, thereby undercutting the legitimacy of “official” data published by the government and government-run news outlets. During his first term, Magufuli passed several laws that impede information sharing, such as the Access to Information Act, which imposes prison terms on officials who improperly release state data. Independent collection of data remains severely hampered by administrative and extralegal action by authorities—casting doubt on the verity of the government’s economic growth statistics.
Magufuli’s Toxic Governing Philosophy
Magufuli probably calculates that his authoritarian approach is critical for implementing his economic agenda and is unlikely to veer from this course in the second term. It is an unfinished project, and the president only seems more confident that suffocating democracy and human rights is the best medicine to achieve growth and development. Magufuli, who subscribes to his own homegrown “Tanzania first” philosophy, believes that Tanzania has been cheated out of profit and wealth by exploitative mabeberu (“imperialists”) since independence. He argues that Tanzania must renegotiate and redefine its external political and economic ties while reducing dependence on foreign economies. He has an unshakable conviction that the key to economic independence is industrialization and domestic production, leading him to prioritize the country’s national airline, railways, factories, and hydropower projects.It is an unfinished project, and the president only seems more confident that suffocating democracy and human rights is the best medicine to achieve growth and development.
To secure populist support, Magufuli has fashioned his agenda as a continuation of the socialist vision of Tanzania’s first president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who advocated self-reliance, an intolerance to corruption, and a strong nationalist character. But Magufuli breaks from Nyerere by embracing a toxic blend of capitalism, secrecy, and dismissal of science, as evidenced by his appalling response to the Covid-19 pandemic; Magufuli has maintained that God is protecting Tanzania from Covid-19 and recently raised doubts over Western-produced vaccines. In addition, Magufuli has rebuffed criticism and opposition at all costs—whereas Nyerere grew increasingly comfortable with ideological challengers toward the end of his presidency. It was Nyerere himself who placed limits on presidential power. Meanwhile, there is a possibility that Magufuli and his supporters could amend the constitution to abolish presidential term limits, as recommended by the speaker of the National Assembly during Magufuli’s first term.
The bottom line? In Magufuli’s cost-benefit analysis, a stifled democracy is a small price to pay for successful implementation of his economic agenda.
Dim Prospects for a Counterstrike
Severe government suppression has left the political opposition, civil society, and media weakened, undercutting an effective domestic countermove to Magufuli’s rule. The political opposition won only 2 of 264 directly elected parliamentary seats in the October 2020 election, down from 75 seats in 2015. Authorities detained and interrogated Lissu in the days after the election, prompting him to seek refuge at the German Embassy before escaping to Belgium in the interest of his safety. Lissu called for demonstrations in Tanzania’s streets following the vote, and told The Africa Report in January that “the only way that we’re going to build a democracy in Tanzania is through mass action.” But protests failed to materialize. Security forces have kept the streets empty by threatening would-be protesters with violence, including through warnings to beat them “like stray dogs.”Magufuli’s nationalist economic policies have cowed the private sector and predictably led to deflated foreign direct investment (FDI) levels compared to those under his predecessor Jakaya Kikwete. Since entering office in 2015, Magufuli has effectively halved Tanzania’s FDI: while it reached $2 billion in 2013–2014, it hovered around $1 billion throughout Magufuli’s first term. The U.S. Department of State warned that although Tanzanian officials openly welcome investment, “in practice, [Tanzanian] government policies and actions do not effectively keep and attract investment.” Predatory policies on foreign firms have caused international companies to shift their investments to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and elsewhere in the region, according to Donath Olomi, CEO of the Dar es Salaam-based Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development.
While members of the international community have denounced Magufuli’s democratic backpedaling, their protestations have had little effect. Canada, the European Union, and even the United Nations condemned the violence, fraud, and intimidation before and during Tanzania’s October 2020 elections, but stopped short of rejecting the results. The U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam released a tepid condemnation of the vote, and U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Donald Wright called on Magufuli to “investigate election irregularities”—presumably aware that he was calling on the perpetrator to investigate his own crimes.
In contrast, China has bucked up Magufuli’s administration and presumably will enable the president to continue his deleterious policies. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released an official statement in the weeks following Magufuli’s reelection emphasizing China’s intention to deepen collaboration during the 2021 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing. During his recent trip to Tanzania, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Magufuli discussed cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), intentions to expand the import of Tanzanian goods to China, and plans to “jointly endorse multilateralism [and] oppose foreign interference.”
Toward a Dark Future
Magufuli’s restrictive policies will lead to severe domestic and regional consequences during his second term and beyond. Domestically, opposition parties probably will remain unsuccessful in their bids for influence, notably in local elections for municipal positions and parliamentary seats. Civil society will face difficulties in promoting increased transparency, and media outlets hoping to release information that challenges the ruling party’s narrative will have little room to maneuver. Foreign firms will be increasingly intimidated by Tanzania’s poor enabling environment and may decide to take their business elsewhere.Regionally, Magufuli will be more focused on suppressing dissent at home than prioritizing diplomatic efforts across East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) states. He will likely butt heads with regional leaders over coronavirus policies, especially after dismissing the efficacy of Western Covid-19 vaccines in late January. As Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and others in the region edge toward herd immunity through vaccine procurement and distribution, these governments may bar travelers from Tanzania, whose population will remain largely unvaccinated. Regional powers will also grow increasingly frustrated with Magufuli over tough trade regulations and may press him to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement. But even if Magufuli ratifies the agreement, it may be more of a symbolic measure than real policy shift—and Magufuli’s administration is likely to fall short in effectively adhering to and implementing the agreement’s requirements.
Surviving the Next Five (or More) Years
Magufuli—for however long he is in power—will test the democratic integrity of Tanzania’s institutions, the strength of its private sector, and relationships with its external partners. Still, even under an increasingly authoritarian president, Tanzania’s civil society and businesses can persevere and reassert influence through links with regional counterparts. The Biden administration also has a chance to reshape its policy toward Magufuli’s Tanzania—opting for tougher punitive measures and closer engagement with civil society to curb Magufuli’s worst instincts. Below are opportunities for engagement and influence by domestic, regional, and international stakeholders.- Connect civil society. Tanzanian civil society actors should team up with activists across the region, particularly in countries with crisis-tested civil societies including Malawi, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Closer ties will serve dual functions: they will enable best practice-sharing between African activists as well as provide alternative outlets for Tanzanian civil society voices to remain relevant. In addition, Tanzanian civil society actors could consider increasing their number of English-language tweets to reach a broader audience. There is shared work to be done on restoring freedom of assembly and speech, maintaining (or restoring) the neutrality of state institutions such as the police and military, and reducing presidential power over National Electoral Commissions.
- Defend democracy through tech. Tanzania’s tech-focused entrepreneurs should support the free flow of information—as well as privacy from government surveillance—amid an increasingly controlled environment. The Tanzanian government effectively blocked WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging services and shut down phone networks during the October 2020 elections. Tanzania is home to a multitude of tech entrepreneurs with the capability to collaborate on platforms and tools—like Ugandan activists’ use of VPN applications during the communications blackout—to support access to information, communication, and confidentiality.
- Apply regional pressure. Regional leaders are unlikely to have much sway over Magufuli’s domestic calculus, though there’s no harm in trying to moderate some of his policies in the interest of the region. Kenyan president Kenyatta, Rwandan president Kagame, and Ugandan president Museveni—who have all instituted strict Covid-19 measures in their respective countries—should urge Magufuli to purchase and distribute the vaccine lest they bar Tanzanian citizens from entering their countries. In addition, regional governments should not only encourage Magufuli to loosen trade restrictions and ratify the AfCFTA agreement, but also keep tabs on Magufuli’s implementation of the agreement—applying pressure and incentives where necessary.
- Retool the U.S. approach. U.S. policy toward Tanzania—characterized by democratization, health, food security, and wildlife conservation programming—has become stagnant. The Biden administration has an opportunity to reset its approach by implementing smarter incentive-based conditioning to address a shrinking democratic space. This could mean turning U.S. rhetoric into reality: for example, actually rejecting election outcomes when there is proof they are illegitimate. The State Department should build off of recent efforts, including visa restrictions targeting Tanzanian officials complicit in undermining the legitimacy of the October 2020 elections. At the same time, the Biden administration has an opportunity to increase direct engagement with Tanzanian opposition politicians and civil society groups in an effort to support the rich plurality of Tanzanian politics and thought.
Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).