Covid-19 States and Societies Tanzania

This research paper by Bariki G. Mwasaga analyzes the response of the United Republic of Tanzania to the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the role of President John Magufuli's leadership, the tension between government claims and scientific data, and the resulting social and political consequences.

• The Tanzanian government's response to Covid-19 was characterized by a shift from initial preventive measures to a state of denial led by President John Magufuli, who eventually declared the country 'coronavirus-free' in June 2020 based on prayers rather than scientific data.
• Tanzania implemented significantly less stringent measures than its neighbors, such as Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda; while others used total lockdowns or curfews, Tanzania primarily suspended international travel and required a 14-day quarantine at entry points.
• The government faced criticism for a lack of transparency and for ignoring World Health Organization (WHO) requests for infection data. The last official statistics released on 29 April 2020 reported 509 total cases, 128 recoveries, and 21 deaths.
• President Magufuli promoted unproven home remedies, such as steam therapy and drinking ginger and lemon tea, and framed the pandemic as a war rather than a health crisis, leading to a perception that the emergency was not real or was driven by 'imperialists'.
• The government responded to criticism from opposition parties (such as CHADEMA and ACT) and civil society organizations (such as Twaweza) by introducing digital surveillance and suspending media outlets, including Kwanza Online TV and a newspaper outlet, for disseminating content deemed misleading or disruptive.

APA

Mwasaga, B. G. (2020). Covid-19 States and Societies Tanzania. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/covid-19-states-and-societies-tanzania/

Chicago

Mwasaga, Bariki G. Covid-19 States and Societies Tanzania. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2020. https://pari.org.za/covid-19-states-and-societies-tanzania/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mwasaga |first1=Bariki G. |title=Covid-19 States and Societies Tanzania |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=15 September 2020 |url=https://pari.org.za/covid-19-states-and-societies-tanzania/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mwasaga2020covid19, author = {Mwasaga, Bariki G.}, title = {{Covid-19 States and Societies Tanzania}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://pari.org.za/covid-19-states-and-societies-tanzania/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }