Elections are the quintessential arbiter of political contestation within democratic countries. Umoja House – where the EU, UK, German and Dutch missions are located – where he waited for several hours while the bureaucrats inside deliberated on whether or not to let him in. Click here to see other benefits and to sign-up to our reader community supporting quality, independent journalism. Director of Elections Wilson Mahera said in a statement on Tuesday, “The commission has observed with serious concern a widening attempt by some actors both locally and internationally to paint Tanzania’s 2020 election results to be anything but free and fair. He then went to Umoja House – where the EU, UK, German and Dutch missions are located – where he waited for several hours while the bureaucrats inside deliberated on whether or not to let him in. Tanzania's National Election Commission (NEC) chairman Judge Semistocles Kaijage dismissed the reports of pre-ticked ballot as false, according to The Citizen, a local newspaper. Mr Magufuli's main rival, Tundu Lissu, has … Lissu, Mbowe, Kabwe and Maalim Seif Hamad of Zanzibar may be beaten and bloodied, but they have not been bowed. If the presidential poll were fair, Mr Lissu would stand a … For the privilege of being an opposition politician in Tanzania, the man from Kilimanjaro has seen his businesses destroyed, faced physical violence and beatings and spent long sojourns in prison. We should stop there and consider how we even talk about what happened in Tanzania on 28 October. Help us learn with your expertise and insights on articles that we publish. Elections in Zanzibar must surely be regarded as the most futile in the world. © AP/Khalfan Said. "We expect that they will announce (the results) of the other votes for the members of Parliament and the councilmen any time today, after the closing" of the voting centers, Mahela said. We encourage different, respectful viewpoints to further our understanding of the world. People were milling around the newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza, Ground Zero for a revolt if Trump tries to steal the election. Please sign in or register to enable this feature. BECOME AN INSIDER. Long deemed a haven of stability in East Africa, observers say Tanzania has seen the stifling of democracy and a crackdown on freedom of speech under the 60-year-old Magufuli and his Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has been … "I call on Tanzanians to come out in large numbers today and vote for the decision that everyone has in their hearts. Tanzania electoral watch panel, USA State Department, Commonwealth, and European Union were very critical about the elections. That’s what we want from our members. He visited Washington DC last year in September. African democracy? A two-horse race in Tanzania’s grueling presidential poll By Mwangi Maina | August 26th 2020 at 16:44:13 GMT +0300 President John Magufuli who is vying for Tanzania's top seat a second time. By using this website, you agree with our use of cookies to improve its performance and enhance your user experience. points out that authoritarians throughout the world are increasingly using the very institutions of democracy to subvert democracy. “is either withering or in full-scale collapse globally”. Tanzania elections set to widen Africa’s democratic deficit. Polls have opened in Tanzania’s general election, following nationwide reports of restricted internet access plus the arrest of an opposition leader in the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar. The National Electoral Commission, run as an arm of the ruling CCM, give President John Pombe Magufuli a laughable 85% of the vote on the mainland. Tundu Lissu, the presidential candidate of Tanzania… May God bless all the voters and may God bless Tanzania", said Magufuli shortly after casting his ballot. The same is happening in Uganda, and has just happened in Guinea. Tanzania's President John Magufuli has won re-election with a landslide victory in a poll that the opposition has described as fraudulent. Why did he so lack confidence in the outcome of a free and fair election that he had to make up a result? The opposition boycotted the re-run, and tensions remain high. DM. A Tanzanian election official calls out names at the Garagara Playground polling station in Mtoni, Zanzibar on October 28, 2020. Removing advertising from your browsing experience is one of them - we don't just block ads, we redesign our pages to look smarter and load faster. But whatever pull the international community still had in Tanzania was applied and he was released a few hours later. 2020-10-21. Dar es Salaam. On Sunday night Tanzanian police came for Freeman Mbowe, the chairman and founder of the opposition Chadema party. One person is given maybe ten or fifteen, or up to twenty and there are some people who came today in the morning to report to us that they had been given ten votes to vote at the time”, said Muhene Said Rashid, deputy secretary of the elections for the opposition party ACT Wazalendo. Some have argued that Magufuli would have won the election anyway, that he has invested in infrastructure and fought corruption and that Tanzania has a high-growth economy. Updated 18 August 9:50 am Paris The country’s main opposition party CHADEMA’s candidate, Tundu Lissu, and other opposition leaders have repeatedly claimed that there’s a likelihood that they’ll be blocked from running in this year’s general elections in October. Magufuli's main challenger Tundu Lissu claimed that he had received reports of widespread ballot stuffing. In Summary There are many great benefits to being a Maverick Insider. The director of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), Wilson Mahela, explained that they will begin to count the results of the presidential election tonight, as they continue to meet at all the polling stations in the country. Tanzanian President John Magufuli has officially won a second term, with a landslide victory of more than 84% of the vote in this week’s election. Nah…. Voters have until 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) to cast their ballot. Shortly before he was picked up by the cops he sent a WhatsApp message: “They’re all in dread of this petty tyrant it’s unbelievable.”. Tanzania has blocked social media, bulk SMS as its election polls open REUTERS/Stringer Early voting on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar, Tanzania Oct. 27, 2020. People were milling around the newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza, Ground Zero for a revolt if Trump tries to steal the election. Elections are there to be manipulated. Last week it was the people of Tanzania who went to the polls in good faith, but whose votes were not counted. This Sunday, as I walked through the city, the steakhouse where we had eaten was boarded up, along with most of downtown DC, and a new barricade was being constructed around the White House in anticipation of Tuesday’s elections. Countries that we never suspected were alike are starting to resemble one another. On Tuesday it will be the United States’ turn in the barrel. Once-vibrant democracies are dying constitutionally through elections and referenda. Their struggle is the struggle of everyone who believes that democracy is worth fighting for. Opposition leaders in Tanzania have accused authorities of stuffing ballot boxes to ensure victory for the ruling party in simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections.. Zanzibar, where some 566,000 people have registered to take part in the polls, wrapped up its election campaigns on Sunday. Lissu, Mbowe, Kabwe and Maalim Seif Hamad of Zanzibar may be beaten and bloodied, but they have not been bowed. Shortly before he was picked up by the cops he sent a WhatsApp message: “, They’re all in dread of this petty tyrant it’s unbelievable.”, Tanzania is not alone in this paradox. For that reason alone the dream is not dead. He reflected how much Magufuli reminded him of Donald Trump. Tanzania votes in presidential and general elections today, in what is expected to be the tightest race in the history of East Africa's most populous country. In semi-autonomous Zanzibar, the opposition said its members had found ballots pre-marked for President Magufuli. Last week it was the people of Tanzania who went to the polls in good faith, but whose votes were not counted. Tanzania’s main opposition presidential candidate has said he will not accept the result of Wednesday’s election because of voting irregularities. Tanzania gears up for October 28 polls to elect presidents for mainland and semi-autonomous Zanzibar, as well as MPs and local councillors. The fragility of democracy worldwide will continue to be an issue “irrespective of who wins the American presidency,” the scholars concluded. The machinery of democracy was essentially used to wipe out the opposition. On Monday afternoon Tundu Lissu, Chadema’s candidate in the presidential election, was arrested by Tanzanian police outside the German embassy. As of Monday night, we were still waiting for the report of the African Union observer mission headed by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. That is without even mentioning Zanzibar in which – for the fifth time in a row – the opposition was denied victory and massive brutality was inflicted against their leaders and supporters by the military, leaving at least 13 people dead. Tanzanians will head to the polls on 28 October. Zanzibar Elections. Harvard’s Daniel Ziblatt, co-author of. There is more caffeine in Monster energy drinks than legally allowed in some countries due to the beverage being classified as a "supplement". Lissu, who miraculously survived an assassination attempt in 2017, had reason to fear what would happen to him if he was arrested. The election is widely seen as a referendum on Mr. Magufuli, who is seeking a second five-year term, and on the governing Party of the Revolution, which has dominated Tanzanian … Elections are the quintessential arbiter of political contestation within democratic countries. MAVERICK INSIDERS CAN COMMENT. But whatever Jonathan finds, it will not make much difference. The Panel is, however, deeply concerned over reports of escalating tension in Zanzibar on the eve of the polls. The archipelago has … If this was so, why did Magufuli go to such elaborate lengths to cheat? Everybody has an opinion but not everyone has the knowledge and the experience to contribute meaningfully to a discussion. Tanzania’s leading opposition candidate has alleged a major fraud in the recently concluded election and has said the poll verdict was like "spitting in the face of democracy." Tanzanian President John Magufuli won an election victory on Friday with 84% of the vote, according to the country's National Electoral Commission. View our comments policy here. Within the next few days we might even have to add the United States of America to that list. Magufuli believed that the international community would let him get away with it, especially the East African Community (despite growing tensions with Kenya) and the Southern African Development Community, whose observer missions steered clear of any criticism of the election. Tanzanian government officials prepare to cast their ballots at a polling center in Dar es Salaam Read more: Using social media for good during Ghana's elections Tensions continue to rise Two observer missions for Tanzania elections issued their preliminary reports yesterday providing opposing views of what transpired during the October 28 polls.. Knowing that they were coming for him, he had sought diplomatic protection. Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu briefly arrested on day of planned election protest. Tanzania polls won't be free and fair, warns election watch team President Pombe Magufuli has been accused of repression against the opposition, civil society and the media. We have seen these ballot papers, and we have caught some people with these papers. Long considered a haven of stability in East Africa, say Tanzania has seen the stifling and a crackdown on freedom of speech under the 60-year-old Magufuli and his Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has been in power since 1961. Tanzanians are voting for president and members of parliament. As the leader of the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo) party, Zitto Kabwe, said: no election took place at all. The opposition lost virtually all its seats in parliament, even in those strongholds where it has been entrenched for decades. “We have seen a lot of problems in this election. Reports of killings, brutality and harassment by … Police forces keep tight security in the island capital to stop any gatherings after voting in the Tanzania general elections in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania on 29 October 2020. He was first turned away by a political officer. Select which newsletters you'd like to receive, Knowing that they were coming for him, he had sought diplomatic protection. That very day dozens of the world’s leading scholars of authoritarianism had signed an open letter stating that democracy. The opposition is demanding new elections under an impartial and independent electoral body. One of them is that we have discovered in different polling stations. Covid-19 has kept us apart, but has also brought the world closer together. Past Zanzibar elections have been surrounded by violence, and analysts fear that the upcoming polls … We are told that people like a strongman, as the bulldozer likes to style himself. Tanzanians queue to cast their votes in the presidential election, at a polling station in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015. Tanzania has never been a democratic country, and it won’t ever be unless Tanzanians risk their lives en masse, and force the strongman from power. He has also won the backing of Zitto Kabwe, another opposition leader, unifying much of the vote against Mr Magufuli. Their struggle is the struggle of everyone who believes that democracy is worth fighting for. As Tanzania prepares for its 28 October elections, opposition leaders claim there’s a plot to lock out their candidates from the polls. Tanzania goes to the polls amid reports of police violence and repression Strongman leader John Magufuli looks likely to be elected president for a second term Tue, Oct 27, 2020, 18:00 ZANZIBAR, Tanzania (AP) — Police in Tanzania shot dead at least nine citizens amid unrest over alleged fraud ahead of the presidential election, a major opposition party asserted Tuesday, while officials denied it and one of Africa’s most populous countries watched internet service slow to a crawl ahead of Wednesday’s vote. But even as he made the appeal for peace, the oppsotion was accusing the country's security agencies of blocking its agents at polling stations. A total of 29 million voters were registered to vote in 80,115 polling stations, where they had to choose between 15 presidential candidates and 399 seats in Parliament, in addition to the councilors. The blackout of the internet means that while the former capital Dar es-Salaam remains peaceful, it is impossible to know what exactly is going on in much of the interior of the country. Opposition parties claim that the polls were marred with irregularities. Even Magufuli’s own intelligence people conceded that in a free and fair election, Lissu would be the winner. The spirited grassroots campaign that accompanied Lissu and the Chadema bandwagon as it travelled to every corner of the country represented a very real threat to the power of the ruling party. The election results, announced by the National Electoral Commission on Friday evening, gave the president 84% of the vote and the opposition leader Tundu Lissu 13%. Tanzanian opposition presidential candidate Tundu Lissu on Wednesday slammed "widespread irregularities" in the ongoing general election. Sign up here or sign in if you are already an Insider. Before that the marchers in Belarus. For that reason alone the dream is not dead. In Dar es salaam, a female parliamentary candidate for the opposition Chadema party was arrested by police before being released later on Wednesday. Mbowe has now been charged with terrorism, a non-bailable offence which means he can be held indefinitely. In separate press conferences, the East African Community observer team gave a thumbs-up to the National Electoral Commission (NEC) saying they conducted free and fair elections, but Electoral Institute for … At the very least, some have argued, he was facing an opposition weakened through ruthless repression over the past five years. Tanzania's general election taking place on 28 October has some unusual features. A keen rugby lover and an All Blacks fan he doubted that South Africa would get past the semi-finals of the World Cup. I must also emphasize the need to preserve peace as a nation, because life will go on after the elections. The opposition has accused President John Magufuli of planning to rig the election. Results in the presidential election from 17, out of the more than 260 constituencies, that have been published on the electoral commission's website show a huge lead for President Magufuli. This comes as the United States noted that the Tanzanian election showed signs of "credible allegations of significant election-related fraud and intimidation." Arrests of opposition leaders continued around the country on the eve of what was to be a peaceful demonstration against what they deemed to be a fraudulent electoral process. In recent years this has included Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary and Poland. 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Perhaps it was always a quixotic quest for Lissu, who was exiled for three years, to return home and take on the “petty tyrant”. On Tuesday it will be the United States’ turn in the barrel. President Cyril Ramaphosa, the chairperson of the African Union, already congratulated Magufuli on Monday. Between the pre-marked ballots, the stuffed boxes, the tabulation of results before the vote started, the prevention of opposition agents from access to the polls and the police intimidation, this was more than the usual gripe about “irregularities”. President Joseph Magufuli, eyeing a second five-year term, voted in the country's new capital of … Two weeks ago, it was the demonstrators at Lekki Plaza in Nigeria. Analysis - Tanzanians are heading to the polls on the 28th October. Harvard’s Daniel Ziblatt, co-author of How Democracies Die, points out that authoritarians throughout the world are increasingly using the very institutions of democracy to subvert democracy. Concurrently with the general election, Tanzania’s semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar will also hold regional elections. Tanzania is not alone in this paradox. According to Tanzania’s election authority, more than 29 million people have registered to vote. Pre-Election Statement by the Tanzania Elections Watch Panel ahead of the General Elections on 28 October 2020. They would be a pushover. It was Jonathan, to his credit, who not only conceded power to Muhammadu Buhari of the opposition APC in the 2015 elections, the first incumbent to do so in Nigerian history, but supported a credible Independent National Electoral Commission that it was hoped would be an example to the rest of the continent. He was first turned away by a political officer at the US Embassy. We spent an evening eating steak and drinking beer. People, especially young people, came out in droves. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Anthony Siame). Please note you must be a Maverick Insider to comment. Authorities annulled the results of the 2015 elections in Zanzibar after results indicated a possible opposition victory. The reason is clear. That very day dozens of the world’s leading scholars of authoritarianism had signed an open letter stating that democracy “is either withering or in full-scale collapse globally”. Tanzania is counting votes after polls in its high-stakes election closed on Wednesday evening.
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