The last five years in Tanzania have been full of lessons, surprises, pains and shocks – there are times when I’ve convinced myself that it cannot possibly get any worse. But it did. And it has.
The start of election season, especially, has been ugly and brutal. The levels of impunity and the plain barbaric acts of injustice and violence makes one wonder if this electoral exercise can in any way be called an ‘election.’ This is not new, of course. We have seen spoiled and stolen elections before; daylight robberies, too. But today is different. The situation is growing worse and I fear my country is headed toward a single party monopoly.
The reports and images of opposition candidates being attacked and their nomination forms stolen; the audacity of the electoral commission to deny a majority of opposition aspirants their right to run and compete on a ballot; and the guts to declare 18 ruling party aspirants “unopposed winners” speaks not only to the level of the regime’s authoritarianism, but also to the lack of political consciousness among the Tanzanian masses.
I write this, of course, with utmost humility. I have enormous respect for those who have been the voices and forces against Tanzania’s increasing oppression. But too often, these voices are singular and singled out. They are thus exposed and attacked by the ruling regime. And they bear endless pain.
The belief that politics is simply for politicians alone has contributed to the dire state of our country – and to the state our people find themselves in. I have often been asked: Why do you take interest in politics? Why am I too angry at injustice? Well, I wonder why I shouldn’t be?
The massive disconnect between people and our politics is real. It is a weakness that our ruling party has used to its sole advantage. The party that uses the full strength of the state to suppress and to dominate can only be checked by the people who actually own the state. Alas, when the rights of opposition aspirants are being violated, suppressed and totally eliminated, we the people, have left it to the political parties to handle. In other words, we do not consider these violations as infringements on our own rights as citizens to freely elect our leaders.
I am convinced, now more than ever, that we stand where we are today because we have collectively allowed ourselves to be robbed of this power. As a women’s rights activist, I know for a fact how silence and inaction perpetuate oppression and exploitation. The fear is real, but we must resist and overcome it.
The hope of using the upcoming election to change our flawed course is fading. The unjust have been heavily rewarded since our last election five years ago. In turn, this has inspired others to be more creatively uncouth. Professionalism, principles and decency are now in short supply. These values are lacking in our “leaders” who have turned out to be our rulers – and we, their subjects, have been exposed. But those unjust rulers are also exposed.
This exposure, combined with the disconnect of our people and determination of the regime to cling to power, makes the journey from here to October 28 a painful one. Or, perhaps not, depending on which side you stand on. Regardless of where one is positioned, or how one looks at the situation, it is important to remember the fate of our country – of Tanzania – is in our own hands. And we are responsible for regaining that power.
Mwanahamisi Singano is a pan-African feminist and economic justice expert. She is known for her pioneering work in a number of areas, including violence against women, sexual reproductive rights and more inclusive governance and leadership. She has written for several outlets, including the Mail and Guardian, on the need for democratic reform in Tanzania.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Vanguard Africa or the Vanguard Africa Foundation.