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Tanzanian president urges public not to fear COVID-19 pandemic
Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Sunday urged members of the public to stop fearing the COVID-19 pandemic but he said they should continue observing protective guidelines issued by health authorities.
Magufuli made the appeal when he attended Sunday prayers at a church in his native town of Chato in Geita region, said a statement by the Directorate of Communications at State House.
According to the statement, President Magufuli urged Tanzanians to continue working hard, especially in mass production of food saying neighboring countries which were on lockdown will need food supplies when the lockdown was relaxed.
The president reiterated his decision to rule out a lockdown and closure of borders because he said doing so will affect production, implementation of projects and other economic activities, said the statement.
He appealed to religious leaders to conduct prayers for three consecutive days from next Friday, Saturday and Sunday to thank God because COVID-19 infections in the east African nation have started to go down.
Magufuli said latest statistics showed that as of Sunday, Amana hospital in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam which had 198 COVID-19 patients now remained with 12 patients, Mloganzila hospital admitted 30 patients but it now remained with six patients and Lulanzi health facility in Kibaha district had more than 50 patients but it now remained with 22 patients.
He added that in private hospitals like the Aga Khan Hospital remained with 31 COVID-19 patients, Hindu Mandal Hospital remained with 16 patients.”Even my child was infected with COVID-19 but has recovered after taking lemons and ginger. This disease will therefore spread and be contained,” said Magufuli.
The president said if the trend of recovery continued persistently he will soon reopen universities, adding that he was also thinking of resuming sports events.
Magufuli also ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and other relevant authorities to allow tourists who had planned to visit Tanzania. “You should not stop planes bringing tourists in the country,” he said. -Xinhua
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Minority leader urges NPP members to remain united amid restructuring
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin, has called on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remain steadfast and united as the party works to restructure its core values for the future.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Afenyo-Markin reminded the rank and file of the party that challenges should not divide them.
“We must rebuild, yes, but not as scattered stones. We must rebuild together. We are not a broken party, we are only a battle-tested party. We must not allow current challenges to blur our vision or break our ranks,” he said.
He further stressed that rebuilding the NPP must be done collectively and guided by the party’s values.
“We must rebuild together, brick by brick, anchored in our values and in the unshakable belief that no individual is bigger than the NPP. That belief must reflect in our tone, our language, our strategy, and most importantly, in our posture towards one another,” the Minority Leader stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Police in pursuit of two suspected to be plotting a crime
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has launched investigations after officers recovered weapons and ammunition from an abandoned vehicle, believed to be linked to two men suspected of planning a crime.
The incident occurred on Sunday, August 17, 2025, when the Kuntanase District Patrol Team spotted a white Toyota Sienta with registration number NR 289-24 suspiciously parked near a bushy area along the Aputuoagya-Bekwai road.
In a statement, the police said two men were seen beside the vehicle allegedly smoking a substance suspected to be narcotics.
They fled into the nearby bush when they noticed the approaching police and escaped despite a pursuit.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, a locally made firearm, two AK-47 magazines loaded with 30 rounds each, four packets of ammunition, and seven loose rounds.
Other items recovered included a smartphone, cowrie shells, footwear, and personal identification cards.
The vehicle has been impounded at the Kuntanase Police Station, and all recovered items are being retained as exhibits to support the ongoing investigation.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command urged members of the public with information about the suspects to report to the nearest police station or call emergency numbers 191, 18555, or 112.
By: Jacob Aggrey
