Twitter Space: Tanzania: Why are so many opposition figures in jail?

Sep 8

Thursday, 12 September 2024

11am Washington D.C.
4pm London / Dakar
5pm Paris / Cape Town
6pm Tanzania

Join our live Twitter/X Space

This show takes stock of recent developments in Tanzania, a country in which there is a noticeably widening gap between outside perceptions and reality on the ground. Since her elevation to power in 2021, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has made lofty promises of reform and pledged to reverse the authoritarian tide that accelerated during the tenure of her predecessor, John Magufuli, widely known as ‘The Bulldozer.’

Early on, the media – both domestic and international – was riveted by Tanzania’s first woman president and positive coverage became the norm. To be fair, President Hassan did reverse some of the more draconian measures enacted by her predecessors. She also reached out to and met publicly with outspoken critics, including the country’s most well-known opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, following his return from exile.

Tanzania is now gearing up for local elections in December and a general election next year. In this increasingly charged political environment, the authorities have reverted to the repressive tactics of past regimes. Just last month, over 500 opposition political activists were arrested and jailed on trumped-up charges, including Tundu Lissu. Journalists and independent media practitioners are also being targeted with arrest, harassment and violent intimidation.

Despite the lingering perceptions of Tanzania being on the pathway to reform, there is a serious prospect of a major crackdown as the 2025 polls near. Already, power is being centralized with the country’s security and policing apparatus now falling under command of the office of the president. There is a serious risk that Tanzania will slowly but surely evolve into a police state. If this happens, the prospects for free and fair elections, or reducing the corruption that the ruling party has become well known for, will be slim.

On 12 September – at 6PM Tanzania time (11AM ET) – our team will delve into these timely issues with some of Tanzania’s most prominent defenders of democracy and intellectual heavyweights. Join us!