Tanzania under Samia Suluhu Hassan: Tundu Lissu feels betrayed by lack of reform

The latest wave of abductions, arrests and the brutal killing of an opposition official in Tanzania appears to be dimming the ray of political hope that got here with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s rise to energy in 2021.

There was large reduction when Samia – Tanzania’ first feminine president – took workplace, with opposition events allowed to organise rallies and criticise the federal government with out the concern of grave repercussions.

However concern is rising that Tanzania is sliding again to the period of her autocratic predecessor, John Magufuli.

Within the span of weeks, two of essentially the most senior opposition leaders have been arrested twice, and one other opposition official, Ali Kibao, was kidnapped, killed and his physique doused in acid by unknown assailants.

“The political state of affairs in Tanzania is worrisome within the excessive,” stated the deputy chief of the principle opposition Chadema celebration, Tundu Lissu.

He was chatting with the BBC per week earlier than his arrest on Monday, when his celebration had deliberate to protest in opposition to the killing of Kibao and the alleged disappearance of a number of different authorities critics. Lissu was later launched on bail.

He was additionally launched on bail final month, following his arrest on the eve of a banned opposition rally within the south-western city of Mbeya.

Chadema stated about 100 of its members had been detained to forestall the rally from happening.

“We’re starting to see the form of the wave of repression and state-orchestrated violence which was attribute of the interval from 2016 to 2020 [during the Magufuli administration],” Lissu informed the BBC.

In 2017, Lissu sustained heavy accidents throughout an assassination try, when his car was sprayed with at the least 16 bullets.

He was handled overseas and stayed in exile in Belgium till his return final 12 months to, as he put it, “write a brand new chapter” for the nation after the president lifted a ban on rallies.

Lissu now sees the promised reforms as a façade.

“[There have been] no reforms by any means. No reforms of a democratic nature,” he informed the BBC.

The violent incidents are politically motivated and “related to the safety forces” he alleged, including that they have been a harbinger of worse to return.

The police have denied involvement, whereas the ruling CCM celebration’s secretary-general, Emmanuel Nchimbi declined to talk to the BBC.

There isn’t a doubt that the crackdown has sullied the picture of the president.

Rights teams and western diplomats have referred to as for a direct finish to “arbitrary detention” and have demanded “impartial and clear investigations”.

In her response, the president warned “outsiders” in opposition to meddling in Tanzania’s affairs however she additionally denounced the killing of Kibao, and ordered speedy investigations.

“Our nation is a democracy, and each citizen has the best to dwell,” she stated.

“It’s stunning that the demise of our brother Kibao has stirred up such an enormous outcry of condemnation, grief, and accusations of calling the federal government murderers.

“This isn’t proper. Loss of life is demise. What we Tanzanians should do is stand collectively and condemn these acts,” she added.

Tanzanian political analyst Thomas Kibwana stated there gave the impression to be a scarcity of excellent religion between the principle political events, which has led to negotiations geared toward bringing about reforms stalling.

He added that whereas being confrontational might go well with the opposition to win votes, it fuelled tensions.

Samia had indicated that she was “very open to dialogue” and, from her perspective, Chadema had “shut the doorways to negotiation” and had resorted to protest motion, Mr Kibwana stated.

“That is as much as either side – for them to take a seat down and are available again to the talks,” he added.

Initially, Samia was very a lot centered on her much-publicised mantra of the 4 Rs – reconciliation, resilience, reforms and rebuilding.

Her strikes to fix fences with the opposition and provoke reforms – particularly when she didn’t appear to be beneath political strain to take action – gained her reward domestically and overseas.

There are nonetheless indicators of the constructive picture she needs to retain.

One billboard within the centre of the capital, Dodoma, says: “The president of all Tanzanians – regardless of their celebration, faith, ethnicity or gender. Mama [Samia] delivers”.

The billboard bears her image sitting in a dialog with Lissu, now one in all her fiercest critics.

Different billboards, together with within the largest metropolis Dar es Salaam, present her with different opposition leaders, depicting her intention to unite individuals throughout the political divide.

They look like marketing campaign ads forward of native authorities elections subsequent month and presidential and parliamentary elections a 12 months later.

The elections might be her first actual check. She was Magufuli’s deputy, and inherited the presidency following his sudden demise through the coronavirus pandemic.

Like Magufuli, she belongs to the CCM celebration, which has gained each election it has contested since independence from Britain in 1961.

In keeping with the second-biggest opposition celebration, ACT-Wazalendo, Samia’s reform drive might have been stymied by the CCM’s concern that it could lose elections.

“Now we have heard a CCM bigwig saying that if she had maintained that tempo which she got here in with, she would lose the nation to the opposition,” celebration chief Dorothy Semu informed the BBC.

“So perhaps she absorbed that concern that in the event you reform, you’ll finally finish giving in to the opposition,” she added.

However Semu feels the political local weather is best than through the Magufuli period, even when authorities officers typically acted like “they’re doing us a favour”.

“Now we have now a extra open civic house. We will discuss politics freely. We will talk about as political events. We will participate in political rallies. We will organise conferences,” she informed the BBC.

Semu added that as elections strategy, “we’re hopeful, however we not assured all the pieces goes to be OK”.

Lawyer and activist Fatma Karume informed the BBC that real reform hinged on overhauling the nation’s legal guidelines in order that the president has much less energy.

“In Tanzania we’ve one thing referred to as an imperial presidency,” she stated.

“All we’ve is a head of state who’s much less oppressive… as an instance, not as comfy as Magufuli in utilizing the oppressive powers of the state.”