By Archie Boan
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has issued a strongly worded statement expressing deep concern over what it described as the deteriorating political and human rights situation in Tanzania.
The foundation condemned the violent crackdown on demonstrators and restrictions on political freedoms, warning that the country risks sliding back into authoritarianism.
In its official released , the Foundation said it was “watching developments in Tanzania with alarm and misgivings,” adding that “the violence against the demonstrators is unacceptable.”
The statement directly addressed President Samia Suluhu Hassan, urging her administration to uphold the democratic reforms and respect for civil liberties that once earned her international praise.
“After the authoritarian regime of your predecessor, President Magufuli, we all welcomed you as a reformer President who believed and stood for democracy, rule of law and civil society,” the Foundation stated.
“We are thus dismayed by the new turn taken banning opposition parties from elections, shutting the internet, shooting at demonstrators, most of them your young people.”
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation emphasized that an election excluding opposition parties could not be regarded as free or legitimate, noting that the public anger and protests sweeping the streets were both “understandable and expected.”
Referencing its conference held in Marrakech in June, the Foundation reiterated that peace, security, and respect for the rule of law remain essential conditions for economic progress and sustainable investment in Africa.
“There can be no leveraging of Africa’s huge domestic resources, no calling for more private capital to invest in our continent, without peace, security, and rule of law,” the statement noted.
The Foundation also linked the rising unrest in Tanzania to broader instability in the East African region, cautioning against the risk of further state failure.
“We specifically raised the alarm over the growing political violence against opposition in the period leading to elections in Tanzania and Uganda, both resource-rich countries,” the statement said. “The sub-region is already a home for unspeakable violence and human tragedy in Sudan. One failed state is enough.”
