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Mustaqbal Media analyses the different approaches each advanced.
Even as President Suluhu at one time urged lawmakers in Tanzania to desist comparing her with the late John Pombe Magafuli, Mustaqbal looks at the different approaches to issues/ruling style by the two leaders in the East African Country.
The late president John Pombe Magafuli popularly known as The Bulldozer had attracted mixed reactions from his style of leadership.
He shamed and dismissed government officials on the spot, in roadside declarations. Although this style received criticism from activists and human rights organizations, he always received cheers and praises from the common man who saw him as his savior in protecting the public coffers.
Covid 19 and leadership .
Magafuli’s biggest controversy has been that of downplaying the severity or even the existence of Covid19 The global pandemic had various governments employing different containment measures but all with the aim of taking control of the hidden danger.
Magafuli threw caution to the wind and at one various public functions declared the disease non exists.The biggest humour and talking pint was his public announcement that he has taken samples from Papaya (the Swahili name for Pawpaw ), goats to the laboratory for testing and the result came out Covid 19 positive! He also doubted the safety of masks or vaccines and at one said the African traditional herb is the best treatment.
He would later declare that he beat Covid through prayers and there is no need to either get tested or put on a mask.
But President Samia Suluhu on taking over after his death over what authorities in Tanzania called “ heart failure” ,immediately changed the stand on Covid measures and said that Tanzania will not remain in “isolation” on the rest of the world in dealing with the disease. She immediately formed a committee of experts to advise her government on how to approach the global pandemic that’s Covid 19. Her cabinet members and( in meetings) officials would later be seen wearing masks as she told everyone to put on the mask.
Frosty relations with Kenyan neighbor
After Kenya banned international entries,Magafuli banned airlies from Kenya entering Tanzania skies.Tanzania also refused Kenyan trucks from entering its territory. Things were only worsened by Covid but Kenya and her Tanzania neighbor had frosty diplomatic relationship even before.At one point in 2018,Tanzania government destroyed over 5,000/ (five thousands) chicks estimated worth of millions imported from Kenya .The move sour the trade relationship between the two countries further.Tanzania termed the goods as “ illegal consignment”
Both countries today enjoy healthy relations thanks to steps by President Samia Suluhu to meet her counterpart in Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta to mend the frosty relations. Both countries are inhabited by Swahili speaking populations and share cultural similarities.
President Samia Suluhu came to Kenya and held talks with Kenya president to sign a deep bilateral agreement for the two countries.
President Samia Suluhu would later address the joint houses of Kenya parliament in an address that charmed Kenyans laced with deep love of similarities that the two neighbors share and their Swahili language. She confessed enjoying the parliament of Kenya debating in Kiswahili. The two countries renewed ties and signed big trade deals.
Mustaqbal Media
