Dar es Salaam — President John Magufuli said on Sunday that Tanzania's handling of Covid-19 was in such a way that the country's economy comes first and above everything else.

Speaking during a Sunday Service at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania at his Chato hometown on Sunday, May 17, 2020, President Magufuli said being an independent nation, Tanzania will not allow to be ruled by Covid-19.

"We share borders with about eight countries and if we close our borders, we will be destroying their economies," said President Magufuli, noting that some countries depend on Tanzania for their daily food.

He urged Tanzanians to desist any attempt to segregate against people from countries that went into lockdown, saying Tanzania was keeping cordial relations with peers within the East Africa Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (Sadc).

He said so far Tanzania's economy was on the right path and that the country was removing the requirement for quarantine on tourists in a deliberate move to boost tourism.