The man who believed in prayers, the man who hated statistics, science and whatever else that he couldn’t control. The man who reigned with an iron-fist. Who was starting his second term and his allies was mentally preparing the world for his third term by amending the constitution. The Tanzanian President has now suddenly died at the age of 61 years old.
This man was John Pombe Joseph Magufuli who was elected first as President in 2015 and again in 2020. Both elections marred with violations and irregularities. The opposition was hoodwinked and toyed around with. The state have monitored them and gone after them. All activists and whistle-blowers have gotten into trouble. Heck, if anyone tried reporting that was negative towards the state. They would get charged with money-laundering or get other charges that wouldn’t get them bail.
Magufuli silenced his critics. His party and allies did whatever they could in his time in office to block dissidents and make life harder for them. The opposition parties had to comply with more restrictive regulations. Media was more monitored and had more stipulations. The online content and everyone broadcasting had to be allowed by the state to do so. They had to pay fees as social media profiles, bloggers and vloggers, and so fourth.
Now, the man that was rumoured to have breathing problems and was under weather for a long time. The man who mocking and not willing to take a global pandemic seriously. The man who didn’t want to act upon the dangers of this virus. That man is now gone. They will say he died of a heart condition. That after the rumours had gone wild for days.
Those rumours can now be laid to rest. Magufuli is here no longer. We know however, they will not state it to be COVID-19 as the government like it’s President have been denying the dangers of this virus. They haven’t even taken the warnings or acted with caution. No, they have said national days of mourning and prayers are the solving remedy. Steamy waters and herbal medicine will cure it. Buying the miracle cure from Madagascar CVO – Tambvy, but that was clearly not the solution or the remedy for that matter.
Magufuli was a hero for many, but a tormentor for many as well. The President of Tanzania will go down in history. However, his legacy will be mixed. That’s because of his own actions. He came in with so much promise, but trashed that. Magufuli will be remembered for the self-inflicted and overbearing control. Where he made the party and the Republic laws after his whims. There will be the ones who will make him martyr and a legend.
Nevertheless, CCM will have him for the books and write his name in stone. Magufuli is now gone. He made his own bed and now he got to sleep in it. When you challenge a pandemic with no tools. It will not hesitate to find a body to further the spread. The President who praised his son for overcoming it and drinking lemon water. Clearly, the same didn’t work on him.
The state will not say it was COVID-19. Though breathing problems and heart condition is a neat way to conceal the truth. Especially, when the same Vice-President the other day said he was working behind desk and busy. Now, within 48 hours she says his dead. Funny that, right?
No, its not. It’s calculated. This cardiac arrest is as suspicious as Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi last year. The same of state apparatus being mum or silent. Selling one story, but never telling the whole deal. This is the same, but it’s in Tanzania instead of Burundi. Peace.
MinBane 