Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appeared today for the first time in a public event in Tanzania wearing a face mask.
Samia Suluhu Hassan appeared at the elders meeting in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, wearing a facemask including her aides and everyone in attendance.
Addressing elders, Samia Suluhu said the situation has changed and Tanzanians can no longer risk their lives.
“We apologize, our lifestyle has changed we have come here today in face masks and this is because the elderly are at a higher risk of contracting this disease, so we have to protect them” She said.
“Today’s gathering is huge so we have decided to wear facemasks to protect our Elders, we your children are always moving around including going to other countries we do not know who has and who does not, yet the elderly are at risk of contracting Covid-19,” President Samia added.
Tanzania stopped reporting on COVID-19 in April 2020 on directives of former president the Late John Pombe Magufuli who was skeptical of the disease until his death early this year. His successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is however determined to reverse the country’s approach to the epidemic.
Last month, while at a national conference in Dodoma, president Samia Suluhu said she had formed a committee of experts that will advise her on the status of COVID-19 in the country and the necessary steps to take.
President Suluhu also called on religious leaders to preach on the disease in order for worshippers to take precautionary measures as advised by health experts, including washing hands with soap and running water, using sanitisers, maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks.
Today She said the committee is working on the coronavirus situation in the country and will soon submit its report.
