Tanzania opposition leader banned from comment ahead of vote
A Tanzanian court has banned an opposition leader from making “seditious” statements for one year, just months ahead of the election in which President John Magufuli seeks a second term
Credit: TOM ODULA Associated Press
''A Tanzanian court has found an opposition leader guilty of sedition and banned him from making public statements for one year, just months ahead of the presidential
election.
The magistrates court released Zitto Kabwe, leader of the ACT-Wazalendo party, on the condition that he does not make “seditious” statements for a year.
It is not clear who decides what statements are seditious in the East African country, and human rights groups have called for the related colonial-era laws to be repealed. Kabwe's party said it will appeal the decision.
“The judgment and related conditional discharge is tantamount to censorship, effectively barring Zitto from saying anything critical of the government and the president during an
election year,” vice chair Dorothy Semu said in a statement. Kabwe has been among the most vocal critics of President John Magufuli's five-year rule. Magufuli seeks reelection in October.
Rights groups accuse Magufuli's administration of stifling criticism, targeting independent journalism and severely restricting the activities of non-governmental organizations. Opposition parties have been banned from political activities including public rallies. Kabwe, a lawmaker, was accused of making seditious statements in 2018 during a press conference in which he asserted that 100 people had been killed in clashes between cattle keepers and police in Uvinza district.
His sentence comes weeks after the national chairman of the opposition Chadema party, Freeman Mbowe, and eight others were sentenced to serve a five-month jail term or pay or fines for charges including conspiracy to commit offences, unlawful assembly, sedition and incitement.''
Tanzania opposition leader banned from comment ahead of vote
Tabia hua haibadiliki mzushi kakutana na 40 zake. Alizusha JPM amefariki na kwenda kutibiwa Germany hakuridhika. Akazusha Tanzania isipate mikopo nk sasa kidomo domo chote kwishnei afunge tu account zake za twitter na kuacha kuropoka kwa mwaka moja.