Tanzania government responds to critical report ahead of elections

Dar es Salaam. The government yesterday dismissed a report by Human Rights Watch which suggested that local authorities have stepped up repression of opposition political parties, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and the media ahead of this year’s general election on October 28.

In its report, Human Rights Watch disclosed that since mid-June this year, the government has arrested at least 17 opposition political party members and government critics.

The government has suspended a rights group, and cancelled the licence of another while also blocking major rights groups from observing the elections, the report says.

It also claimed that the authorities have gone out to limit key NGOs’ ability to monitor the elections.

In response, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Prof Sifuni Mchome, said the claims are not relevant vis-a-vis the current situation.

“Our country is on the right track, and we are not experiencing such issues. If someone says so, it’s up to them.

“We don’t know anything about what they are saying,” the PS virtually equivocated to The Citizen’s sister paper Mwananchi over the telephone.

When pressed to give his opinion on the report, the permanent secretary said: “Which opinions should we give? It is their report, and they are the ones who know what they are saying!”

Prof Mchome stated that the local authorities were abiding by the country’s laws - especially during this period ahead of the polls.

In its recent report, the international NGO also said that the National Electoral Commission issued lists in July of the organisations which had been approved as election observers, and would conduct voter education.

But it excluded major organisations that have historically coordinated election monitoring in the country.

Other claims in the report include the local authorities’ move to fine or suspend media outlets for covering politically-sensitive topics, including the Covid-19 pandemic and new restrictions imposed on the media and freedom of expression online.

Another issue raised in the Human Rights Watch report is the detention of the National Coordinator of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), Mr Onesmo Olengurumwa, who was questioned about his organisation’s failure to submit its donor contracts, in line with regulations.

Mr Olengurumwa was released later that day on a Sh200 million ($86,000) police bond.

THRDC suspended its activities after the authorities froze its bank accounts, pending conclusion of the investigation.

Police Force spokesman David Misime told The Citizen yesterday that THRDC was still under investigation by the police.

“If there is a case involving funds deposited in the bank, the law gives the mandate to the Police force to freeze the bank account of a certain individual or institution for 14 days to pave a way for an investigation. And if the investigation is not complete within the specified days, the Law gives the mandate to the police to extend the investigation,” said Mr Misime.