Tanzania's Election Marred by Repression and Disappearances

Strategic Insights -

Election season in Tanzania has descended into chaos as activists are abducted and opposition leaders are jailed. The first woman to ascend to the presidency, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is running for reelection, but her main opponents have been detained or disqualified, and those who have spoken out against her have been met with violence. Protests broke out in Dar es Salaam, the country's largest city, on Wednesday morning, resulting in the deaths of a member of the public and a police officer.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Tanzanian government has a history of suppressing opposition voices, with the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), maintaining its grip on power since independence in 1961.
  • In the lead-up to the election, dozens of opposition figures and activists have been abducted, with some reported dead or missing.
  • The main opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), has had its leader, Tundu Lissu, detained and its deputy, John Heche, missing, sparking concerns about the fairness of the election process.
  • Tanzania's opposition activists have been subjected to torture, sexual assault, and other human rights abuses by police.
  • The country's economy has stagnated, with a quarter of the population living below the poverty line, and the population has been affected by the reduction in global aid funds.
  • In response to the election, five members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee have expressed concern, urging all political actors and civilians in Tanzania and Zanzibar to refrain from violence.

Statistics:

  • 70 million people: the population of Tanzania, which has historically been one of the most stable and influential nations in East Africa.
  • 25%: the percentage of the population living below the poverty line in Tanzania.
  • $216 million: the amount of funds cut by the US government this year, gutting HIV, malaria, family planning and child health programs.
  • 18: the number of cases documented by Amnesty International of killings, disappearances and torture of opposition figures and activists.

Sources:

  • Amnesty International's statement on the election, citing Tanzania's "systematic pattern of enforced disappearances."
  • The Washington Post article by Maria Sarungi, a prominent Tanzanian rights activist, describing the election as a "sham."
  • Human Rights Watch report on the pattern of violence in Tanzania's elections.
  • The White House statement on the US government's foreign aid policy.
  • The Center for Global Development report on the impact of the US government's foreign aid cuts.