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Editorial

Tanzanians must stand

up against Tyranny

n page 13, we publish a story on that “irregularities and the overwhelming Fred O. Oduke - Managing Editor
Othe just concluded Tanzania’s margins of victory raise serious doubts
presidential elections: For many years about the credibility of the results... as this earned him the status of a populist,
Tanzania was seen as the leading well as concerns about the government defending the downtrodden, the victims
torch for liberation and freedom in of Tanzania’s commitment to democratic of corruption, on whose behalf he
Africa, having played a leading role in values”. claimed to act.
supporting liberation movements on Magufuli’s party, CCM, also won While it is not clear how successful
the continent. Many liberation leaders the voter on the semi-autonomous his war on corruption has been; he
in the 50s, 60s and 70s were hosted by archipelago of Zanzibar, electing benefited politically, raising his political
Mwalimu, Julius Nyerere. Hussein Mwinyi as president, declared profile and support among the masses;
Although the country had adopted the winner with 76% of the votes. however, by contrast, his leadership
socialist leaning policies-Ujama-under President John Pombe Magufuli, who gagged the media and took away many
the founding leaders, still, it was seen as came to power2015, on the platform of freedoms that Tanzanians have enjoyed
a beacon of stability and fairness, even fighting corruption, has a over the years over the years.
under the one party system that the became Africa’s most controversial sitting The future that Tanzanians envisaged
country maintained under CCM party, president. Recently, as the COVID-19 under his rule, one that would deliver
until the 80s. pandemic raged across the world, he widespread prosperity, and the end
Since the reintroduction of multi- dismissed the global efforts in fighting of exploitation is nowhere in sight.
parties, and with the founding father the coronavirus, calling it nothing more Nonetheless, he construed a narrative of
of the nation out of the way, the East than a common cold; asking Tanzanians fulfillment of success, which has gotten
African country has seemed to be to go on with their lives as usual, thereby him reelected.
sliding into a form of dictatorship and putting millions of his citizens at risk of Since coming to power, President
authoritarianism, this has particularly contracting the disease, in the absence of Magufuli and the CCM took an
come to the fore since the election of any containment measures. extremely authoritarian course, the
President, John Pombe Magufuli, first Both domestically and internationally, breadth and depth of which cannot
elected to office in 2015. he attracts divided opinion, with his be emphasized enough. They justified
October, 28, President Magufuli, 61, counter-parts in the EAC, having to this authoritarian agenda in relation to
was re-elected by a landslide victory in a learn to live with his erratic policies their nationalist, economic struggle.
poll that the opposition has described as that at times are counter to the regional Democracy needed to be confined in the
fraudulent. He was declared the winner protocols, to which Tanzania is a service of development. Critics needed
with an unprecedented 12.5 million signatory. to be silenced because they harmed the
votes, representing 84% of votes cast. Behind President Magufuli, is one of nation. Opposition ought to be arrested
The top opposition candidate Tundu Africa’s longest-ruling party, Chama cha because they were agents of imperialists.
Lissu received 1.9 million, representing Mapinduzi (CCM) or ‘The Party of the That the opposition has stood against
13%. Lissu rejected the vote and called Revolution’, which has ruled the East Magufuli’s assault on democracy is
on the international community not to African country since independence commendable-media censorship, bans
recognize it. in 1961. CCM, a party founded by public meetings and the disappearance
The opposition alleged widespread the founding father of the country, of journalists-and many other
irregularities before and during the vote, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, no doubt authoritarian acts that are now part of a
in a country that some observers say has commands respect locally and globally; national programme of oppression.
taken a sharp turn away from democratic however, the party, and particularly, In all the bad actions and oppression, the
ideals in the past five years. Allegations since the advent of Mugufuli’s rule, it hs biggest casualty is Tanzania’s multiparty
include the rejection of thousands of became more and more authoritarian democracy, particularly if Magufuli and
election observers, a massive slowdown President Magufuli began his first term CCM, maintains the bad law against
in internet and text-messaging services by dramatically taking the fight on presidential elections petitions, that it
and ballot box stuffing. corruption to the corrupt, in a campaign seems determined to use to consolidate
The US embassy in Dar es Salaam said he called tumbua majipu ‘lance the boils’, its authoritarian agenda.

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