TANZANIA, May 26 -- RIO Ferdinands visit to Tanzania has transitioned from a sports and tourism story into a debate.

The criticism has been sharp. Some argue that Rio has not played professional football for years, so his influence is no longer strong enough to justify a major national reception.

Others say the itinerary looked too ceremonial, moving through official spaces rather than being structured like a proper tourism campaign. The strongest criticism is that he did not post enough during the visit, which many saw as a red flag. If the objective was tourism promotion, critics ask, why did the invited celebrity not actively push Tanzania to his own global audience?

Those questions are fair. But the governments defence also deserve...