John Magufuli, the current president of Tanzania, whereabouts are currently unknown to the public. He has not been seen in public for over two weeks. This has caused rumors to spread throughout the country, stirring arguments and concern among citizens. Responding to this matter, vice president Samia Hassan assures that the country is safe, and asks Tanzanians to unite and pray. While this message eased the minds of some, others have outspoken in protest. Tundu Lissu, presidential candidate and politician, tweeted his thoughts arguing that in the past when presidents have fallen ill, the public was informed. He also demands to know why the public doesn’t deserve some light on the situation. This tweet as further escalated the people’s spreading of dark rumors that he is sick. The current whereabouts of the president is still currently unknown.
The article is very brief and straight to the point. It explains the point of view from both the vice president and opposing citizens, allowing the public to “choose their side.” When speaking regionally, the controversial news could spark other nearby countries to voice their opinions as well. This split in opinion could also force the political parties further away from each other, creating further disagreement and chaos. I believe that this problem will dissolve fairly quickly once the president returns to the public. While some government officials are assuring that the president is indeed working, the fact that they do not openly say it or allow him to be seen is definitely something that should be concerning.
Tanzania is not considered a country with much influential power. The “disappearance” of the president has not caused a global reaction, much like the disappearance of the United States’ president would be. This goes hand and hand with the Neo-Realism theory. Countries with more power are considered more important and will gather global attention on their homeland’s news. Countries with less power, and therefore less importance, will not gain much attention on current events. I did not hear any news about the mysterious disappearance of the Tanzanian president until I searched for news for this assignment.