DODOMA-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera was secretly told not to wear a mask upon arrival in Tanzania on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, a development which has angered health experts.
One of the country’s epidemics expert has demanded that Chakwera be quarantined when he returns to Malawi in accordance with his own government’s Coronavirus rules.
He traveled to Tanzania on Wednesday and when was leaving Malawi in the morning, the Malawi leader wore a mask.
Upon arrival in Tanzania, Chakwera met Tanzania’s president John Pombe Magufuli but the Malawi had ditched his mask.
Pictures shared by the Malawi Government show Chakwera and Magufuli walking together and in other instances chatting without wearing masks.
First Lady Monica Chakwera was also pictured with a group of Malawians living in Tanzania and no one wore a mask
During his trips to Zambia and Zimbabwe last month as well as to Mozambique this week Chakwera wore a mask.
Malawians on social media have said that Chakwera’s decision not to wear a face mask in Tanzania is in line with Magufuli’s stand on the Coronavirus pandemic.
Magufuli declared in June that Tanzania had eliminated the Coronavirus pandemic. He also claimed that reports about a health crisis in Tanzania were exaggerated and he commended people for not wearing masks.
However, local epidemics specialist Titus Divala has argued that the Malawi president should have protected himself by wearing a mask despite Magufuli’s stand.
According to Divala, Chakwera will need undergo quarantine upon his return to Malawi in line with the country’s protocols for travelers.
Tanzania last reported Coronavirus data in April when there were 509 cases and 29 deaths. As of today, Malawi has recorded a total of 5803 cases, 180 deaths and 4575 recoveries.
