Tanzania: Panel of eminent persons launched ahead of October polls

The Kenya Human Rights Commission in collaboration with civil societies drawn from Tanzania and the East and Southern Africa region on Thursday virtually launched Tanzanian Election Watch panel of eminent persons.

This is an alternative independent oversight body that will monitor the forthcoming 2020 Tanzanian polls.

The panel of eminent personalities comprise of leading pan-Africanists, human rights defenders, media professionals who will observe the polls. The members include; former Chief Justice of Kenya Dr Willy Mutunga, Chairman Uganda and Constitutional Review Commission Prof Fredrick Ssempebwa. The others are Dr Miria Matembe, Prof Chaloka Beyani, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, David Makali, Dan Wandera Ogalo, Lady Justice Lydia Mugambe (Judge of the High Court of Uganda), Prof Frederick Jjuuko, Betty Kaari Murungi, Alice Mugwe and Zein Abubakar.

Tanzania is a member of both the East and Southern African regional blocs.

While launching the oversight body, Prof. Fredrick Ssempebwa who is the chair of the panel said that the team has no interest in taking sides in the upcoming polls and called for respect for human rights, freedom of speech, movement and assembly.

Prof. Ssempebwa further noted that due to economic integration, an election in Tanzania is of major interest and critical for anchoring of peace, tranquillity and justice in the region.

The newly launched panel will look at the organisation of the elections as well as the preparations carried out by the electoral body.

The team will not travel to Tanzania due to political difficulties being faced in the nation, hence, has settled on deploying field monitors for the polls.

The electoral body in June 2020, approved a list of 96 local institutions that will oversee the elections and conduct voter’s education. Key non-governmental organisations which have historically coordinated election monitoring were excluded in the list. Among them are Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, the Legal and Human Rights Centre and Tanzania Constitution Forum.

On their side, the organisations believe they were excluded because they have a high capacity to objectively and independently monitor the election processes.

The regime has drawn criticism for intensifying crackdown on media and dissident voices by introducing contentious broadcast and online media laws barring people from staging online protests as well as engaging on matters Covid-19.

Human rights groups accuse the authorities of narrowing freedoms and repressing political dissidents, including stifling of independent journalists and severely restricting the activities of NGOs. The Tanzanian government denies the allegations.

Ansbert Ngurumo, a Tanzanian journalist living in exile says, there will be no fair and free elections in Tanzania, the grounds for that have been eroded.

‘’For the first time in history, there will be no international election observers in Tanzania,’’ said the fierce critic of the Tanzanian government.

This will be the 6^th general election since the introduction of multiparty politics in Tanzania in 1992.

 It will be a challenging and a monumental election for the ruling party CCM, which has been accused of media suppression, repression of opposition parties as well as a crackdown on dissidents.

Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) is Africa’s longest-ruling independence party.

Regional pundits argue that it is likely to be a two-horse race in Tanzania’s gruelling Presidential race, a battle between political foes, the incumbent John Pombe Magufuli and Chadema’s Tundu Lissu.

Both Magufuli and Lissu have expressed optimism that they will emerge victorious in an election that comes at a very critical time when the world and the region is fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Tanzania operates in a democracy that has seen Presidents come and go. For his part, President Magufuli has already promised a transparent vote.

‘’I want to assure everyone that the polls will be free and fair, for all political parties,’’ Magufuli told lawmakers as he dissolved parliament in June.

Tanzanians will head to the ballot on 28 October to elect a President, members of parliament and local officials on mainland Tanzania and the semi-autonomous Zanzibar.