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Routine jailing of activists and political opponents is so 1960s

Wednesday August 11 2021
Freeman Mbowe

Freeman Mbowe must be given his rights as a free man. The routine imprisonment of outspoken political opponents is very 1960s and 1970s. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By ELSIE EYAKUZE

This is why it can pay to keep an open mind about politicians: In an article after the first 100 days of President Samia Suluhu in office, I admitted that I still wasn’t sure what the political landscape would be like.

Like most African democracies, Tanzania is very heavy on the side of presidential power. However, it would be incorrect to assume that the president works in a vacuum. There is a whole system, and here I would say a very well-established one with continuity since Independence.

I was optimistic this time round because it does seem as though a certain amount of formality and efficiency is being re-introduced in government. And initially at least things looked good for the health of our multiparty democracy, as opposition parties were welcomed to operate with a bit more freedom than they had experienced in the past few years.

The media were also invited to do their work with fewer constraints — all of which pointed towards an improved political landscape. I was optimistic, but cautiously so because all heads of state start off well.

In the past few weeks, activists and opposition parties have amped up the push for a new constitution.

Some background: President Samia Suluhu was part of the original team that helped put together and submit what would become known as the Warioba Draft of the proposed new constitution several years ago. This version got shelved, but it remains the most popular and apparently most representative of the peoples’ wishes for the republic.

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Soon after he came to power, the late John Magufuli was clear that he was not interested in the new constitution because, for him, the pursuit of development was more important than that of political negotiation and infrastructure.

When President Samia came to power and welcomed back into the political conversation players who had been marginalised, it made sense for activists and political parties to seek to restart the constitution review.

The current head of state had been an ally in the process before, and things had changed. Or had they?

Again, with the 100 days article I passed on some of the best advice I have encountered: if someone tells you who they are, believe them.

For all the warmth and welcome that President Samia has shown to marginalised voices, there is one phrase that she kept repeating from the get-go that was all the warning needed: she stated that her presidency was like a continuation of the Magufuli administration, and she too stated that this is not the time to raise the new constitution.

Well, the other shoe has dropped. With Chadema actively campaigning hard to push for the new constitution, the party’s chairman Freeman Mbowe has landed in jail. His charges of economic sabotage and terrorism are unbailable and quite overwhelming.

Here and there, other activists have been picked up by the police for brief stays as guests of the state when they got too vocal about how we need to keep up with the demands of the modern world and have our constitution reflect this.

People are being hurt and incarcerated over a conversation that will not go away. And I, at least, finally have my answer. President Samia Suluhu is being exactly who she said she would be: head of state of the republic, chairman of the CCM, and a party man to the core. There is indeed continuity between her administration and that of her predecessor.

It seems that many find this situation we are in disappointing. I would advise them to work on their cynicism when it comes to politicians of all stripes: power is not a game that lends itself easily to the morally pure. Some have even stated that this is a dictatorship that is wearing the face of a woman.

To which I respond: that is simply unfair. Tanzania is a benevolent dictatorship and always has been, no matter if she is wearing the smiling face of a charming man or the sneaky humour of a woman commander-in-chief.

It is the nature of the polity, and a large reason why so many people are agitating for a new constitution.

Having a woman head of state hasn’t fundamentally changed who we are, which is a big, old, patriarchal project.

Anyway, now that we are closer to understanding the entrenched interests of the system and President Samia has also by proxy shown some of her true colours, we can be prepared.

I am, of course, on the side of the activists and the opposition parties. Let me add my voice to theirs: we need a new constitution.

We need one for very many reasons: for the growth of our democracy, for increased participation in public processes, for decreased presidential powers, for stronger accountability, and for a 21st century reality.

We need one in order to stop the ruling party passing down the baton to presidents who ultimately will not or cannot bring this kind of fundamental change on their own.

And Freeman Mbowe must be given his rights as a free man. The routine imprisonment of outspoken political opponents is very 1960s and 1970s.

We have to grow past that and allow open conversation to happen without retaliation.

A luta continua, indeed.

Elsie Eyakuze is a consultant and bloger for The Mikocheni Report: E-mail: [email protected]

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