President Magufuli considers restart of Tanzania Premier League amid Covid-19 concerns
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli said on Sunday, 03 May 2020 that he was considering the restart of Tanzania Premier League after a six-week break, occasioned by the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking during a ceremony to swear-in the newly-appointed Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, President Magufuli said he was only awaiting advice from his advisors on the way forward
“I propose that we must restart our league matches but people must watch it on Television. I am only waiting for experts to advise me accordingly so that the league can proceed,” President Magufuli said in a speech that was broadcast live from his Chato home in Geita.
Tanzania registered its first Covid-19 cases on March 16. Since then, the number of confirmed cases has risen to 480. Out of the number, 167 have healed and allowed to rejoin their relatives back home while 16 have died.
On March 16, the country announced closure of all schools from Kindergarten to Form 6 for 30 days.
On March 17, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa issued a statement extending a 30-day ban on public gatherings to include schools, football leagues, sports, music events, political meetings and community events.
But detailing his reservations on the precision of Covid-19 test findings, Dr Magufuli said there was no proof to back up assumptions that those doing exercises could be easily hit by the pandemic.
“It’s my assumption that we may live with Covid-19 just like the way we have lived with HIV/Aids and other diseases. I do not have evidence that some those doing exercises could be easily hit by the pandemic,” he said.
Dr Nchemba is rejoining Dr Magufuli’s administration after being out of it for one year and ten months.
He was fired from the Home Affairs docket in July 2018 in what the President said was his dissatisfaction with the performance of the top leadership of the ministry.
Dr Magufuli said he was dissatisfied with the performance of the top leadership of the ministry which he blamed for not acting to resolve some of the problems he had listed.
Without directly naming Dr Nchemba, President blamed the leadership of the homa affair ministry for inaction on reported corruption, embezzlement of public funds, frequent fatal road accidents and general malaise affecting the sensitive cabinet docket.
“Many of these things have remained unresolved…yet the person in charge is busy elsewhere,” said Dr Magufuli in July 2018 during the swearing in of new members of the cabinet and other senior state officials who he had named in a reshuffle.
