Unforgettable Quotes: Tanzania’s president John Pombe Magufuli is dead but his tough and controversial statements will live on. Here are some of Magufuli’s most memorable and famous statements.
On fight against corruption
“The way to treat a boil is to squeeze it out, and I have made it my responsibility to do that. I know squeezing out a boil hurts but unfortunately there are no two ways about it.”
“I’m telling government officers who are lazy and negligent to be prepared. They were tolerated for a long time. This is the end.”
On Family Planning
“You people of Meatu keep livestock. You are good farmers. You can feed your children. Why would you opt for birth control? These are my views, but I don’t see any need for birth control in Tanzania.
Those going for family planning are lazy … they are afraid they will not be able to feed their children. They do not want to work hard to feed a large family and that is why they opt for birth controls and end up with one or two children only.” (September 2018)
On Eternal CCM Party
“The CCM is here and will continue to be here — forever. Members of the CCM, you can walk with your heads held high. There is no alternative to the CCM.” July 2018
On poverty and childhood
“Our home was grass thatched and like many boys I was assigned to herd cattle, as well as selling milk and fish to support my family, I know what it means to be poor. I will strive to help improve people’s welfare.”
On Covid19 and body of Christ
“Coronavirus, which is a devil, cannot survive in the body of Christ… It will burn instantly… These Holy places are where God is. My fellow Tanzanians, let us not be afraid of going to praise Him.”
On Covid19 lockdown
“Our founding father [Julius Nyerere’ was not someone to be directed to be told what to do… Those who devise these kinds of rules [lockdown] are used to making these directives that our founding father refused.”
Doubts against Covid19 Vaccine
“You should stand firm. Vaccinations are dangerous. If the white man was able to come up with vaccinations, he should have found a vaccination for Aids by now; he would have found a vaccination of tuberculosis by now; he would have found a vaccination for malaria by now; he would have found a vaccination for cancer by now.”
“In a certain country, its girl children – aged below 14 years – were vaccinated against what was said to be cervical cancer, but it later emerged that the vaccination was meant to make them infertile.
“The Health ministry must know that not every vaccination is meaningful to our nation. Tanzanians must be mindful so that we are not used for trials of some doubtful vaccinations which can have serious repercussions on our health.
“We have lived for over one year without the virus because our God is able and Satan will always fail. The Health ministry should be cautious, and avoid the temptation to turn us into a country where vaccination trials are conducted freely.”
On Chinese aid
“The thing that makes you happy about their aid is that it is not tied to any conditions. When they decide to give you, they just give you. They have helped us in a lot of other areas of development.”
On pregnant girls returning to school
“As long as I am president … no pregnant student will be allowed to return to school … After getting pregnant, you are done.
“After calculating some few mathematics, [a pregnant school girl] would be asking the teacher in the classroom, ‘Let me go out and breastfeed my crying baby.”
