Tanzania charges hundreds with treason and issues arrest warrants for more opposition figures

NAIROBI Kenya AP Tanzanian government charged hundreds of people with treason over demonstrations around disputed polls last month in a major escalation of political tension as the country reels from violence in which an unknown number of people were killed In addition to dozens criminally charged a day earlier in Dar es Salaam dozens more face similar treason charges elsewhere in the East African country according to numerous charge sheets that became publicly available Saturday Police also issued arrest warrants for certain of the top opposition leaders who had not yet been jailed They include Brenda Rupia communications director for the Chadema opposition group as well as John Mnyika its secretary-general Chadema is Tanzania s leading opposition party Its leader Tundu Lissu has been jailed for several months and also faces treason charges after he urged electoral reforms ahead of voting on Oct Officers face questions over the death toll after defense forces tried to quell riots and opposition protests before and after the vote Chadema has claimed that more than people were killed and that safeguard forces were trying to hide the scale of the deaths by secretly disposing of the bodies The Catholic Church in Tanzania has declared that hundreds were likely killed President Samia Suluhu Hassan who automatically took office as vice president in after the death of her predecessor took more than of the vote according to an official tally She faced candidates from smaller parties after Lissu and Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party were barred from running Rights groups described a circumstances of repression ahead of voting There were enforced disappearances arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings according to Amnesty International and others Tanzania s governing body denies the claims The African Union stated this week that its observers had concluded the electoral contest did not comply with AU principles normative frameworks and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections AU observers broadcasted ballot stuffing at several polling stations and cases where voters were issued multiple ballots The atmosphere surrounding the voting process was not conducive to peaceful conduct and acceptance of electoral outcomes the comment revealed Single-party rule has been the norm in Tanzania since the advent of multi-party politics in But ruling body critics point out that previous leaders tolerated opposition while maintaining a firm grip on power whereas Hassan is accused of leading with an authoritarian style that defies youth-led democracy movements elsewhere in the region A version of the governing Chama cha Mapinduzi party which maintains ties with the Communist Party of China has ruled Tanzania since its independence from Britain in a streak that Hassan extended with her domination Source