Catholic Magufuli’s Bogus Ecumenical COVID-19 Prayers: Don't stop going to churches and mosques for prayers: God, not masks: Magufuli's Tanzania is an outlier on virus response

 

 People wait in a line at the Kimara bus station without adhering to the rules of social distancing despite the confirmed COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 16, 2020. Tanzanian President John Magufuli has called on citizens to turn to God and to keep the economy turning, but as coronavirus cases creep up, calls are rising for the country to take stronger action. While countries across Africa have imposed curfews, partial and full lockdowns, Tanzania has resisted such measures. Schools and universities have been shut but markets, bus stops and shops bustle as usual. AFP photo 

God, not masks: Magufuli's Tanzania is an outlier on virus response

https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/God--masks-Magufuli-Tanzania--virus-response-Chadema/688334-5529458-wymwnu/index.html

Monday April 20 2020

By AFP 

 

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has called on citizens to turn to God and to keep the economy turning, but as coronavirus cases creep up, calls are rising for the country to take stronger action.

While countries across Africa have imposed curfews, partial and full lockdowns, Tanzania has resisted such measures. Schools and universities have been shut but markets, bus stops and shops bustle as usual.

Magufuli, who called for three days of prayer from last Friday to fight the virus, is one of a handful of world leaders still brushing off the seriousness of the disease.

"This is time to build our faith and continue praying to God and not depending on facemasks. Don't stop going to churches and mosques for prayers. I'm sure this is just a change of wind and it will go like others have gone," Magufuli said at a church in Dodoma last month.

He reiterated his message on Good Friday, last week, saying God would protect Tanzanians from the virus.

Tanzania recorded its first case of coronavirus on March 16 -- and in the past week numbers have leapt from 32 to 147, with five deaths.

Putting God into Temptation: Magufuli declares 3 days of prayer to defeat COVID-19 in Tanzania : Places of worship remain open and people still move about without restrictions

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/04/putting-god-into-temptation-magufuli.html 

Of course God is larger than COVID-19 but we should not put our God into temptation: Coronavirus: US pastor who said 'God is larger than this virus' and defied social distancing dies of COVID-19

https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2020/04/of-course-god-is-larger-than-covid-19.html

President Magufuli says coronavirus cannot survive in churches 

 https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001365344/presidents-magufuli-says-coronavirus-cannot-survive-in-churches

 

Grace Ng'ang'a 23rd Mar 2020 12:38:13 GMT +0300  

 

 Tanzania President John Magufuli (above) on Sunday announced that his government would not shut down places of worship over the highly contagious coronavirus that has so far claimed 14,746 lives worldwide.

According to Magufuli, these are the only places where true healing can be found. “These Holy places are where God is. My fellow Tanzanians, let us not be afraid of going to praise Him,” he said Magufuli went ahead and told a congregation in Tanzania where he had attended a church service that the Covid-19 virus is Satanic and cannot survive while in the “body of Christ”. “Corona cannot survive in the body of Christ, it will burn. That is exactly why I did not panic while taking the Holy communion,” he said while the congregation cheered. Magufuli has however been on the receiving end of social media criticism for allegedly misleading his people to assemble in churches and mosques, which puts them at a higher risk of contracting and spreading the deadly virus.

 Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe criticized his comments via his Twitter account urging Magufuli to close all mosques and churches as a way of adding measures to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus.

“Let’s not argue with science,” Kabwe said. Magufuli’s comments came as its neighboring countries expanded their restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus. In Kenya, the government suspended all its international passenger flights and stopped public meetings including religious gatherings and weddings, restaurants only opening for takeaways, matatu’s were instructed to observe the directive of reducing the number of passengers as well as shutting down all the bars indefinitely. 

 

In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni closed its borders, exempting cargo trucks cargo with only two crew members, he as well banned public gatherings including weddings, church and Jumat services. In Rwanda, the government suspended all arriving and departing commercial flights for an initial period of 30 days and also temporary shutting down of schools, universities, and places of worship for two weeks, as well as stopping court proceedings and inmate visits amid concerns about the spread of Covid-19. Coronavirus cases in Tanzania so far stand at twelve. The worldwide cases of the virus stand at 341,397.