Mmegi

SADC under violent election siege

Tanzania elections PIC: Reuters
Tanzania elections PIC: Reuters

Tanzania has become the latest southern African nation to face turmoil at the ballot box with mass protests, arrest of political opponents, and allegations of state-backed repression clutching the country.

Clashes between protesters and security forces have triggered curfews, intensifying concerns that the government is tightening control over a shrinking democratic space.

Regionally, Southern Africa is experiencing a growing trend of violent, unfair electoral processes while regional organisations turn a blind eye to respect for country sovereignty. Southern Africa had asserted itself as an outlier in the African region, with most countries holding peaceful elections that regard the rule of law and the dictates of the democratic processes.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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