Kenya’s leading TV station Citizen TV will reportedly run an apology for a period of one week for depicting Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli in a bad light.
During the 7 pm bulletin, the media station ran a report on March 22 report whose headline read “Ukaidi wa Magufuli” which translates to “Magufuli’s defiance” in his fight against COVID-19.
The report did not sit well with the Tanzanian president who allegedly switched off the Royal Media Services owned station.
The station did however issue an apology. It read, “Citizen TV would like to clarify that these words Ukaidi wa Magufuli (Magufuli’s Defiance) were not used with the intention of misleading viewers on Magufuli’s stance or that of the Republic of Tanzania in the fight against the pandemic.”
This was after apparently sitting down with Tanzanian Ambassador to Kenya, Pinda Chanda who explained that Magufuli was working with the East African community and the African Union in the fight to contain the spread of the novel COVID-19, whose cure is yet to be discovered.
“Therefore Citizen TV acknowledges that the words Ukaidi wa Magufuli (Magufuli’s Defiance) were not appropriate,” the apology read on.
As nations grapple with the spread of the respiratory disease, President Magufuli who has been said to rule with an iron fist, declined to close places of worship noting that the only way to defeat the virus was through prayer.
He also announced that the East African country will not be closing its borders as land-locked countries rely on its ports.
Read: Magufuli Leading By Example, Spotted Collecting Offering At A Local Church (Photos)
Only last week did the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority suspend all international passenger flights but exempted cargo flights.
Magufuli did however suspend learning and banned public gatherings.
But on Wednesday, the country reported 29 positive cases of coronavirus bringing the total to 88 up from 53, the previous day.
“All the patients are Tanzanian nationals. Twenty are in Dar es Salaam, two are in Mwanza while one is in Kilimanjaro,” health minister Ummy Mwalimu said.
The ministry was tracing their contacts as of yesterday.
So far, four people in Tanzania have died while some 11 others have recovered.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874. You can also find us on Telegram through www.t.me/kahawatungu
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
