Tanzania’s government says 2021 is set to be a strong economic year, but the reality on the ground shows otherwise.

Tanzania’s COVID-denying president died this week, prompting an opposition leader to call his death amid the pandemic “poetic justice.” President John Magufuli was 61.

The economy of mainland Tanzania grew at 4.7% in the first half of 2021, compared to 4.9% for the same period of 2020, the Bank of Tanzania said on Tuesday.

DAR ES SALAAM, March 3, 2021 – Following two decades of sustained growth, Tanzania reached an important milestone in July 2020, when it formally graduated to lower-middle-income country status.