Tanzanians slam Lissu over unconfirmed Magufuli sickness updates

Tanzanian President John Magufuli speaks at a past function in Nairobi when he visited Kenya. Speculation has been rife about his health since early this week. [Courtesy]

Tanzanians have slammed exiled Opposition leader Tundu Lissu over his ‘careless and unfounded’  Twitter updates on the health of President John Magufuli.

Tundu on Thursday morning, and without providing the evidence, posted on his verified Twitter account that President Magufuli has been transferred to India after his condition worsened at a Nairobi hospital. 

Standard .Digital has not been able to verify this report independently

Tanzanians online, however, challenged the opposition leader to prove his claims by posting photos or clips of the said transfer wondering why only he (Lissu) had the vital news.

They said it was wrong for Lissu to act like he was celebrating Magufuli’s sickness and called on Tanzanians to unite and pray for the president.

“I never knew you were such a sadist, no matter how much you hate a person, you don't wish him the worst,” Edith Maginga told Lissu.

“It is not fair to post all these unconfirmed reports on social media, this is not how someone who wanted to become our president should behave,” said Fenrick Msigwa.

Clement Korro, another Twitter user, challenged Lissu to post videos or photos of President Magufuli boarding a plane to India or wherever.

“In this day and age of technology, is there no photo or video of him boarding a plane to travel to India? Show us some proof of your allegations, otherwise, this is just political gossip,” said Korro.

 “Your words are not those of a prospective leader. They are the words of a small man consumed with bitter hatred. Unfit to lead. Better in Belgium,” Delta Bravo replied to Lissu’s tweet.

Godfrey Msonde told Lissu to go slow, saying whatever he is posting now about the President could come to haunt him in future should he contest for president.

“What is your joy in someone’s sickness? You are being misled by some people and this will hurt your popularity be careful with these tweets,” said Msonde.

Tanzania's opposition leader Tundu Lissu at a past interview in Dar es Salaam. He claimed on Thursday that President Magufuli had been transferred from an unnamed hospital in Nairobi to India for further treatment. [Reuters]

While criticising President Magufuli’s handling of Covid-19, Lissu said the head of state was moved to India for further treatment.

“The Man Who Declared Victory Over Corona “was transferred to India this afternoon.” Kenyans don’t want the embarrassment “if the worst happens in Kenya.” His Covid-19 denialism in tatters, his prayer-over-science folly has turned into a deadly boomerang!,” he said on his official Twitter handle.

Lissu, however, maintained that President Magufuli was unwell and was transferred to India in a coma, saying in the fullness of time, he will be vindicated.

“For your kind information, Magufuli is neither safe nor healthy. He’s been taken comatose to India. Wait, you will confirm all these,” he said.

It is Lissu who started the reports on his social media pages early this week as speculation on Magufuli’s whereabouts and questions about his health spread.

“The president’s wellbeing is a matter of grave public concern. What’s it with Magufuli that we don’t deserve to know?” Lissu posted in a tweet late on Tuesday as rumours flew on Tanzania’s social media.

State House silence

State House Tanzania is yet to comment on the whereabouts of the 61-year-old president who was last seen in public on or about February 27, this year during the swearing-in of a public officer in Dar es Salaam.

Unconfirmed reports emerged on Wednesday that Magufuli could have been admitted to a hospital in Nairobi, something even Kenyan authorities are yet to confirm.

A fierce critic of the lockdown taken by his counterparts in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda to fight the spread of Covid-19, Magufuli has maintained an open economy soon after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, a stance different from the one the world was taking at the time.

As State House Tanzania spokespersons remained tight-lipped, opposition figures in the country that just recently completed its presidential elections handing Magufuli a landslide win, have been critical of the secrecy surrounding the president’s health.

One of the main opposition voices from Tanzania, Tundu Lissu, as well as many others, suggested on their social media handles that Magufuli - a vocal Covid sceptic - may be sick and had been flown to Nairobi.

 

Latest update from Nairobi: The Man Who Declared Victory Over Corona “was transferred to India this afternoon.” Kenyans don’t want the embarrassment “if the worst happens in Kenya.” His COVID denialism in tatters, his prayer-over-science folly has turned into a deadly boomerang! pic.twitter.com/DyXYYbIvdd — Tundu Antiphas Lissu (@TunduALissu) March 10, 2021