VP Chiwenga and Chamisa voice deep concern over deaths of over 800 in Tanzania
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s political rivals, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa, have both expressed profound dismay and concern over the post-election violence in Tanzania, which tragically led to the death of over 800 people.
Upon his arrival at Robert Mugabe International Airport from Tanzania where he represented President Emmerson Mnangagwa at President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s inauguration, Chiwenga described the violence as “deeply troubling” and urged Tanzanian leaders to sit down and “iron out their differences.”
“What has happened in Tanzania is quite disturbing and something that has got to be avoided at all costs,” Chiwenga said.
“I believe Tanzania has come of age and is the mother of all liberation movements. When we fought for our independence, we were all based in Tanzania, so to us it is something we would not want to see.
“I am quite convinced that they will be able to sit down, iron out their differences and move forward.”
Chamisa issued a scathing condemnation, labelling the election as “discredited and disputed,” and warning of a broader pattern of “democracy under siege” and authoritarianism spreading across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
In a statement titled “Democracy Under Siege in Africa,” Chamisa expressed concern over what he called a disturbing pattern of democratic regression and electoral malpractice across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Chamisa criticised the reported use of force, human rights violations, internet shutdowns, and attacks on citizens, saying such actions undermine democratic processes and the credibility of elections.
He further accused Tanzanian authorities of eliminating, incarcerating, and disqualifying opposition figures, and expressed alarm at reports of abductions, forced disappearances, and violence against civil society.
“President Chamisa notes with deep disdain the alarming developments, events, and violence in Tanzania, and condemns the discredited and disputed election, marred by violence and encyclopedic irregularities,” Chamisa’s office stated.
“President Chamisa expresses concern over the excessive use of force against citizens, the violence, human rights abuses, internet shutdowns, as well as the killings, fatalities, and injuries perpetrated on innocent citizens.
“President Chamisa condemns electoral irregularities and manipulation that began with the elimination, incarceration, and disqualification of genuine and credible opposition figures, and is alarmed by reports of abductions, forced disappearances, and violence against civil society.”
Beyond Tanzania, Chamisa said the trend of disputed elections was spreading across the region, citing recent polls in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Tanzania as examples of growing authoritarianism and electoral manipulation in SADC.
“These manipulations include internet shutdowns, disqualification of candidates, withholding of ballots, tampering with voter rolls, intimidation of voters, harassment of opposition parties, deprivation of media coverage, the abuse of state resources to influence electoral outcomes; use of force; state capture, capture of electoral management bodies, and the weaponisation of the state,” he said.
Chamisa called for the restoration of integrity in electoral processes across Africa and urged regional bodies to take a firmer stance in defending democratic principles and citizens’ rights.
The re-election of Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM)’s Samia Suluhu Hassan was marred by several days of violent protests which led to the death of over 800 people. She was, however, inaugurated on Monday. But the international community condemned the plebiscite as flawed.
Tanzania’s plebiscite has faced widespread criticism, with SADC observers themselves noting that the polls fell short of the bloc’s Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, citing voter intimidation, restricted political freedoms, and violence.
