By Kelvin Wilson Kasiwulaya
The European Parliament (EP) on Thursday condemned the deepening political repression in Tanzania, declaring that the country’s current electoral environment had rendered the vote process neither free nor fair, posing a severe threat to multi-party democracy in the East African nation.
In a resolution adopted by lawmakers in Strasbourg, the EU body expressed grave concern over what it described as an escalating crackdown by authorities on opposition leaders, human rights defenders, and media outlets ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
The EP resolution specifically cited the politically motivated arrest and treason charges against a prominent opposition figure, warning that the continuous suppression of dissent turned the electoral exercise into a hollow spectacle.
“When the fundamental rights of political parties to assemble, campaign, and monitor the polls are systematically denied, the entire basis of democracy is compromised,” the resolution read. “An election under a climate of fear is merely a facade, not a true exercise of the people’s sovereign will.”
The lawmakers urged the Tanzanian government to immediately end the arbitrary arrests and harassment of political opponents, lift all restrictions on the media, and engage in genuine, inclusive electoral reform dialogue with all stakeholders.
The condemnation adds to pressure from international rights groups which have repeatedly warned that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s long dominance and the recent tightening of political control are steadily eroding democratic gains established since the introduction of multi-party politics in the 1990s. The EP insisted that future development cooperation with Dar es Salaam must be contingent on visible improvements in the rule of law and respect for political freedoms.