Tanzania: Russia to Repatriate Its Citizens From Tanzania and Other African Countries

By John Namkwahe

Dar es Salaam — The government of Russia through its Embassy in Tanzania will tomorrow

repatriate its citizens from Tanzania amid Covid-19 pandemic fears, The Citizen understands.

Russian government's aircraft (Boeing 763) is expected to arrive today at Julius Nyerere International Airport-Terminal 3 at around 12:40 pm for the purpose.

The Russian plane arrival was also confirmed by JNIA-Terminal 3 Manager Mr Barton Komba when he spoke to The Citizen on Thursday over the telephone.

Speaking exclusively to The Citizen, Head of Consular Section at the Russian Embassy in Tanzania, Mr Roman Faranov said at least 6 Russian citizens will leave Tanzania to Moscow via Amman, in Jordan.

"The plane arrives today and it will depart to Moscow tomorrow at around 8:40 am," said Mr Faranov.

He added that a similar repatriation exercise will also, be carried out in other East and West African countries where the Russian Embassies exist such as Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, Cameroon and Ghana, to mention but a few.

"The reason for the repatriation is Covid-19 pandemic fears and other economic matters such as the closure of borders in those countries," Mr Faranov said.

When asked about the price of repatriation flight tickets from Dar es Salaam to Moscow, Mr Faranov revealed that the flights are free of charge for Russian nationals.

On May 15 the Russian government repatriated at least 121 Russian citizens and some Ukrainian citizens from Zanzibar to Russia who were stranded at the Isles following the suspension of international flights due to novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Other foreign countries which have already repatriated its citizens from Tanzania after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic include; United Kingdom (UK) which repatriated 200 British nationals and the US.

The repatriation exercise is however taking place at a time when the Tanzanian government said recently that it had recorded a significant fall in the number of coronavirus infections that has led to the closure of more treatment centres that had been designated to handle Covid-19 patients across the country.

The Health Ministry said the country has now remained with 11 treatment centres in operation from the initial 84.

The government has repeatedly said that the Covid-19 cases have drastically gone down in Tanzania although there has been no official figures on the pandemic that have been released since the start of May.

The government has also eased Covid-19 restriction and directed reopening of schools and other learning institutions. It has also allowed resumption of sporting activities.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament in June that there were 66 active coronavirus cases but provided no further details.