I have the XT-5 and I can assure you the menu system has a MF Assist with an option to turn it off. When you go to the Menu, are you first going to the AF/MF category and scrolling down to the second page, you will see MF Assist. Go into that and one of the options is OFF. This is the same menu where you change the color for Focus Peaking.
You seem determined to not see this and complain about Fuji. The functionality hasn't changed just the default setting. With this tiny bit of customization, you can control it yourself rather than it automatically shutting off. I think this is inline with the nature of the camera, program what you want and don't have things fixed a certain way that can't be changed.