Coup in the offing? Tanzania sinks further into abyss as military appears sympathetic to protesters
A similar situation to what is happening in Tanzania is also currently unfolding in Cameroon where 92-yar old Paul Biya – in power since 1982 – was early this week declared winner, sparking protests that have since received the support of the military. Like President Suluhi Hassan, President Biya – who spends more than 80 per cent of his time in France – had used the courts, police and electoral commission to arbitrarily lock out opponents.
New violence erupts in Tanzania as voters say they transitioned from ‘cows to active citizens’, state directs civil servants to ‘work from home’
Hundreds protested on Wednesday in Tanzania’s largest city, tearing down banners of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and burning a police station, as the East African country went to the polls in elections where the main challengers have either been jailed or barred from standing.
Suluhu coronation: Rising political tension in Tanzania forces state to deploy the military to man streets and key installations
Human rights organizations have long accused Tanzania’s administration of arresting, detaining and intimidating critics and opposition members. The leader of the main opposition CHADEMA party, Tundu Lissu, is in prison and faces treason charges after calling for electoral reforms, while the candidate of the second-largest opposition party was barred from running.
Election violence: Tanzania police declare curfew in capital, Dar es Salaam, to suppress ‘Suluhu coronation’ protests
Chadema had called for protests during the election, which it said amounted to a “coronation” of Hassan, who came to power in 2021 after her predecessor died in office. The party was disqualified in April after it refused to sign a code of conduct, and its leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason.
