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U.S. Re-evaluates Relationship with Tanzania Amid Post-Election Crackdown
WASHINGTON – The United States is reassessing its relationship with Tanzania following a contested October election and a subsequent government crackdown on opposition figures,protesters,and journalists,raising concerns about human rights and democratic backsliding in the East African nation. The move comes as international pressure mounts on Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan‘s administration to address allegations of widespread abuses.
Hassan ascended to the presidency in 2021 after the death of John Magufuli, initially signaling a shift toward reform. Tho, critics contend her government has not only continued but intensified the previous regime’s suppression of dissent, prompting scrutiny from Washington and international rights organizations.The re-evaluation of U.S. ties reflects growing anxieties about the erosion of democratic norms in a region facing increasing authoritarianism.
According to reports,the post-election period has been marked by violence and repression. Opposition leaders claim over 2,000 protesters have been killed, allegations the government denies. dozens have been arrested, opposition offices raided, and organizers forced into hiding, with hundreds remaining missing and feared dead.
The case of John Oduor, a Kenyan teacher shot and killed in Dar es Salaam on election day, has become a focal point of international concern. More than a month after his death, his body remains in a Tanzanian morgue, preventing his family from conducting a conventional burial. ”I appeal to the President of this great nation, my contry, Kenya – please come out and assist us,” Oduor’s sister Celestine told NPR.”We need closure as a family. We are tortured, emotionally and psychologically.”
On December 9, U.N. human rights experts condemned the widespread violations in Tanzania, including alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass detentions. The experts called on the government to provide facts on the fate of disappeared persons and lift restrictions on media coverage, citing incompatibility with Tanzania’s international obligations.
Amnesty International and other rights groups have characterized the post-election crisis as a deepening regional crisis, highlighting a broader trend of crackdowns on opposition and press freedom across East Africa. The situation underscores the delicate balance between maintaining strategic partnerships and upholding human rights principles in U.S. foreign policy.
For families like the Oduors, the political fallout offers little solace. “Each day without answers,” Celestine told NPR, “is harder than the last.”
