Tanzania polls
By Njoroge David
US embassy tells staff to shelter as protests spread across Tanzania
The US Embassy in Tanzania has asked all US government personnel to shelter in place and avoid public gatherings as protests spread across the country following the exclusion of key opposition parties from Wednesday’s general election, the embassy said.
The embassy warning came as demonstrations erupted in Dar es Salaam and other major cities, with security forces confronting protesters demanding free and fair polls.
“US government personnel are advised to shelter in place at their residences,” said the embassy. “Avoid demonstrations, avoid crowds, keep a low profile and monitor local media for updates.”
The unrest follows the disqualification of the main opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) after it declined to sign a mandatory code of conduct that the National Electoral Commission said was required for participation.
Its presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu remains under detention after urging mass protests against what he called a “stolen election.”
President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party is widely expected to retain power after more than six decades of dominance.
Rights groups including Amnesty International have accused authorities of creating a climate of fear through arrests, disappearances and crackdowns on independent media.
“The authorities have instilled fear and silenced dissent,” said Amnesty International in a statement this week, adding, “This election cannot be considered credible under such conditions.”
Tanzania, which adopted multiparty politics in 1992, has rarely seen such open defiance against the state. Analysts say the latest protests mark one of the most serious challenges to CCM’s control in years.
The embassy urged US citizens in Tanzania to remain alert, avoid travel near protest sites and enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program to receive security updates.
