OPINION: 2019 was a year of shrinking democracy

The current prevailing political situation is one of shrinking democracy. There are many of those who justify that despite the shrinking democracy there is growth and development.

debate about democracy and development as causality-effect phenomenon is an open debate perhaps never ending.

Understanding the true impact of democracy on economic growth remains crucial and disentangling this causality-effect phenomenon is not an easy task.

democracy cause more economic prosperity and growth? In our case does controlling and regulating democracy lead to growth and development?

This question dates back to Plato and Aristotle’s debate regarding which form of government brings more political and economic gains to society.

However, after more than two millennia, there seems to be no clear consensus about whether democracy (in and of itself) does indeed deliver more economic growth than other more autocratic forms of governments.

There are many examples of failed democracies globally but the reasons are not all that clear. Why are young democracies that previously were under one party system failing and backsliding to strict authoritarian rule? My view is that perhaps the process of transformation is too rapid and drastic that citizens are not ready to accept tenets of full democracy.

I think the process should be gradual, systemic in an increasing dose and sensitization.

What is happening in Tanzania can be a case study for years to come by political scientists. We have seen unprecedented growth and development, unmatched revenue collection, reduction in big scams and corruption, a high measure of discipline in civil servants and improvements in social services, this are undisputable facts.

This is happening while democracy is dwindling. So what is the reason or cause for this development? Many attribute this to our President; there is a prevailing Magufuli mania, some RCs mention him in every sentence forgetting that there is the ruling party, CCM that should get credit first.

We are also simultaneously witnessing shrinking democracy again this is an undeniable fact.

In all fairness Tanzania is not witnessing an emergency rule where personal freedom is suspended, the opposition is jailed and the press muzzled-this would be the darkest hour of democracy.

We cannot be compared politically with North Korea. What we are seeing today is that citizens are more vulnerable than before, some repressive laws that criminalize free speech and grant police sweeping powers without adequate accountability are been generously used.

Opposition leaders are too busy with court cases that have been created and they are unable to form any meaningful, tangible or functional opposition.

The recent local elections cannot be classified as holistically democratic. The elections reflect our backsliding to the early years post independence.

There is a fear that holding and expressing an unpopular but honest opinion even when that is legally acceptable is to make oneself vulnerable to legal action.

Another weapon in the states hand is harassment over tax collection-there is no defense for tax evasion, those guilty of it should be caught and punished however when such actions become partisan targeting specific groups this then is tantamount to tax terrorism.

All this has contributed to a chilling atmosphere and there is a feeling that the independence of our institutions the judiciary, parliament and media, which provide checks and balances to an overreaching executive is compromised and needs to be protected.

So some may have a hypothesis that the shrinking but controlled and regulated democracy maybe the cause of the development that we are observing.

Perhaps with time when the population is leading a better quality of life, a higher dose of democracy can be infused and thus slowly over time we may see more democracy and freedom. This indeed remains a hypothesis.

But one thing is for sure that in order to sustain the developmental gains we need a flourishing democracy.

The state is supposed to be the enlightened guardian of the interest of all citizens. In fact, in democracy the state is an organization to which the citizens voluntarily give their powers in the expectation it will govern for their benefit.

course it does not work always that way. The possibility for citizens to make their voices heard must be protected, for now and for future generations.

Journalists should be able to do their work free from threats of violence or imprisonment.

Citizens must be able to form political parties and protest in their streets, without fear of a violent government crackdown.

Anti-corruption workers need to be given free rein to investigate leaders, rather than hit roadblock after roadblock.

Strength and quality of a democratic polity in a large measure depends on the functioning of the constitutional institutions. Merry X-mas and happy new year to all.

Zulfiqarali Premji is a retired MUHAS professor. His career spans over 40 years in academia, research and public health.