Tanzanian member of parliament has tested positive for coronavirus triggering calls for a suspension of on-going House sessions.
Deputy Speaker Tulia Ackson said without naming the politician that the MP had travelled to the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, the country’s epicenter of COVID-19 cases and believes that is where the MP got infected.
Parliament sessions started three weeks ago with fewer members present in the chamber, shorter hours of discussion and some debates held over video conferencing facilities.
Speaker Job Ndugai has supported reconvening of parliament during the pandemic arguing that the country’s important operations must continue.
Ndugai together with President Magufuli have disapproved of stricter measures such as a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus in the country.
However some politicians want parliament suspended to allow the chambers to be disinfected and all MPs to be tested as to identify and quarantine those that may be infected.
“There shall be no two set of laws, for MPs and for the people. All MPs should be isolated, tested and contact-traced. Right from the beginning we advised that the parliament sessions should not be held. It’s dangerous.” said Zitto Kabwe, an opposition MP and leader of ACT-Wazalendo party.
Opposition MP Upendo Peneza previously suggested a lockdown in Dar es Salaam to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“Because Dar es Salaam has the largest number of cases, people from there shouldn’t be allowed to go to other places so as to stop the spread of the infection to other regions. Only movement of basic goods and services should be allowed,” said Peneza said in parliament
The total number of coronavirus cases in Tanzania now stands at 254 and 10 deaths, with the virus spreading into close to half of regions of the country.
