Amnesty International has accused President John Magufuli’s government weaponising the law ahead of Tanzania’s 28 October presidential election.

The rights organisation made the allegation in Lawfare – Repression by Law ahead of Tanzania’s General Elections report.

AI said the report was based on interviews and reviews of videos, photographs, official statements, court documents and media reports.

It was learnt that Joseph Mbilinyi, a candidate with the main opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), was arrested on 14 August.

Mbilinyi, who has been released, was accused of organising an ‘unauthorised demonstration’ because he was accompanied by supporters as he collected his nomination papers from the National Elections Commission in Mbeya.

Also, seven members of Chadema’s youth wing were reportedly arrested on 7 July for ‘ridiculing the national anthem and flag’ among other charges.

‘Tanzania has weaponised the law to the point that no one really knows when they are on the right or wrong side of it’, the report claimed.

‘Politicians have been arrested for holding or attending meetings, media houses suspended and banned, online activism criminalised, and NGOs stifled with endless regulations.

‘The use of the law to systemically and deliberately clamp down on people’s inalienable human rights – especially in an election season – is an extremely worrying and unhealthy sign for a country positioning itself for greater growth and development.

‘The authorities must stop harassing opposition politicians over ridiculous pretexts and instead respect, uphold and facilitate the fulfilment of the rights to liberty, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, to enable them to freely run their campaigns’.

Amnesty says it has documented at least four new laws, including the requirement that NGOs must disclose the source of their funding.

Source: The Street Journal

Photo source: Paul Kagame