Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has confidently provided directives to his government regarding the reopening of the economy, including tourism, sports, and education.

“The trend shows that coronavirus infections are declining,” said the head of state

President Magufuli who is also the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairman, gave various directives during a swearing-in event of Tanzania’s ambassadors to Kenya, Algeria and Mozambique and the deputy health minister, at the State House in Dodoma.

Education

Since March, schools, colleagues and universities were shut down as part of the government of Tanzania measures to curb the virus. Hence, due to the less-threatening trend of COVID-19 patients in Tanzania, as argued by Magufuli last Sunday, universities are slated to open by June 1 2020.

“With the fall in Covid-19 cases, we have decided that universities should reopen on June 1, 2020. The relevant ministry should make all necessary arrangements within these nine days …

The central bank of Tanzania’s (BoT) monthly economic edition of April 2020, has indicated that the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the economy became visible in March and April 2020 as Tanzania’s trade partners intensified the limit to spread of the virus.

Inflation

According to the report, inflation rate remained low amidst the economic challenges caused the virus containment measures adopted to limit the spread of the COVID-19. The overall inflation remained low to 3.4 per cent in March 2020 from 3.7 per cent in February 2020.

The decrease was driven by both food and non-food inflation, hence—the report argued that “the latter having a significant impact because of large weight in the consumer basket”

The edition noted that, on the month to month overall prices rose by 1.1 per cent in March 2020 compared to 1.4 per cent in the same month last year.

“Headline inflation is projected …

A few days after Tanzania president John Magufuli assured the nation on the state of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, the ministry of health provided travel advisory for all travellers going and coming out of Tanzania, this being an initial step towards reopening other spheres of the economy particularly the travel and tourism industry.

According to the statement signed by the health minister Ummy Mwalimu, on April 4, 2020, the government of Tanzania placed additional measures to limit the spread of the virus, hence—following the decreased trend of the admitted cases of the COVID-19 in Tanzania, the travel advisory was reviewed and accommodate various measures related to international travellers.

Air travel measures

The statement stressed that “all travellers whether foreigners or returning residents entering or leaving the country will be subjected to enhanced screening for COVID-19 infection, “

The statement also highlighted that “there will be no 14 days …

Tanzania just stepped into a whole new ground in fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as president John Magufuli assured Tanzanians on stringent actions in safeguarding the economy, which is restricted by the virus. The head of state was addressing worshipers during a Sunday service in his hometown.

“We have had several viral diseases, including AIDS and Measles. Our economy must come first. It must not sleep. If we allow our economy to sleep, we will not receive salaries, church offerings will cease if we announce a lockdown, Life must go on,” he said

According to President Magufuli, COVID-19 cases have shrunk to low levels, compelling him to reopen universities and the football leagues. In March, the East African nation saw the closure of hotels, schools, universities, and other social gatherings–in response to curb the virus.

Since the first COVID-19 case broke, Tanzania’s air travel, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) …

The battle against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tanzania is gaining a new face, as the country anticipates to fight the virus with over 45 strategies underway, following the nationwide agenda to curb the spread of the virus.

45 Strategies

According to information from The Citizen, the government chief spokesperson, Dr Hassan Abbasi who was one of the main speakers during the virtual leadership forum hosted by Mwananchi Communications (a media-company in Tanzania) on May 14, said that the strategies will be rolled out from the national to the community stage.

Hence the handful virus fight strategies will be driven by an executive secretariat committee of seven to nine members, according to the spokesperson.

He said, “We have three special committees, one which deals with both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar is headed by the Prime Minister”.  As the plans are intended to touch both bases (National and community level) Dr.Abbasi …

Over the past few days, the East African corridor witnessed a border closure that had serious impacts to Tanzania, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to information from The Citizen, the border saga has a new ground as Kenya allowed Tanzanian truck drivers to cross the Namanga entry point, prior clarifying their COVID-19 test results.

Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia make up over 2,000 cases of the coronavirus. The pandemic forced the Tunduma-Nakonde border vicinity to be monitored closely as the Nakonde district recorded 76 new cases on Saturday.

Kenyan border

However, government authorities in Tanzania said yesterday of the 300 trucks that were denied entry into Kenya until their drivers had undergone Covid-19 tests, had been allowed to proceed.

This is a consequent measure brought to curb the virus, as on Tuesday two truck drivers tested positive compelling Kenyan health authorities requiring truck drivers to undergo …

Africa second-largest economy, South Africa—is anticipating to reopen its economy by easing its nationwide lockdown.

According to information from Bloomberg, South Africa’s government announced the plans for the reopening on Wednesday.

South Africa—which had the most strict lockdown perhaps in the entire region, has taken the imitative due to business leaders constant pressure on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to take back the economy to its normal life, arguing that the lockdown does more harm and could do more harm to the economy over time.

The South African government rolled in a 21-day lockdown on March 27 to fight the virus spread, but then added two more weeks.

The lockdown has been used as the preparing base to levitate the health system, as nearly 25,000 beds were added for quarantine, personal protective equipment and other supplies, according to information from Bloomberg.

Speaking to his countrymen via a televised address, …

The coronavirus (COVID-19) fight is getting into a different dynamic as Tanzania anticipates unlocking its tourism potential, some of the East African member states decided to close their borders to curb the highly contagious virus.

Zambia closes its border with Tanzania

The transit landscape between Tanzania and Zambia just got stuck, as Tunduma-Nakonde border got closed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The shutdown came to life on Monday, May 11, after border district confirmed 76 new cases on Saturday, which was the steepest increase to date. Hence, Zambia has around 267 confirmed cases and 7 people have died from the virus.

Zambian Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the closing the border allows for cleaning, disinfection and virus testing to be conducted in Nakonde. But also retraining immigration staff at the border on how to deal with the entry of persons and goods, according to information from The Citizen.

However, according …

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has aligned various approved policy measures necessary for rescuing the economy from gruesome effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), which has already demonstrated its impacts by destabilizing the tourism and aviation sector in Tanzania.

The bank announced the new move on Tuesday, through a statement.

As Tanzania still records nearly 500 confirmed cases and 16 deaths, the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which met on 8 May 2020, agreed on the measures to “safeguard the financial sector stability and continue facilitating the financial intermediation process” according to the central bank’s statement.

How local banks get saved

Tanzanian business shutdown and some worrying about their loan repayment schedules, the central bank has emerged with a rather customized solution to aid the banking and business community in that manner.

The bank has urged banks and other financial institutions to assess financial challenges faced by borrowers triggered …

The globe is at a stand-still position and Africa is hurting and expected to also sustain serious repercussions from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has already claimed nearly 2,000 lives, infected over 60,000 people and around 21,000 managed to recover According to the latest data by the John Hopkins University and Africa Center for Disease Control on COVID-19 in Africa.

The pandemic has brought rather crucial ideas from South Africa’s President and African Union chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa on Africa requesting a two-year debt standstill to provide governments with the fiscal space to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

As the world strives to attain a balance between staying safe and breathing life back to the economy, Africa is taking the entire perspective of the pandemic on its axis, while other nations move around several measures, some African nations have managed to somewhat contain the virus to a certain extent.

The