General situation
In December 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging an end of forced evictions of Maasai communities in the Ngorongoro district. The resolution further mandates the European Commission to evaluate how EU-funded programs in Tanzania address human rights, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
On 29th March 2024, unknown gunmen attempted to assassinate Tanzanian politician Christopher Ole Sendeka, a Member of Parliament for Simanjiro under the ruling party CCM, by shooting at his car with bullets. Investigations continue into the incident, although the perpetrators are yet to be identified. This marks the second assassination attempt on a politician in Tanzania.
#BREAKING #Tanzania Tanzania's political opposition stages its first large protest in years, calling for constitutional changes to limit presidential powers and reform the electoral commission ahead of the upcoming general election in the next year. pic.twitter.com/WDi764i0Sn
— The National Independent (@NationalIndNews) January 24, 2024
Peaceful Assembly
On 24th January 2024, hundreds of Chadema supporters gathered in Dar es Salaam to hold protests demanding greater political liberalisation ahead of the 2025 elections. They called for limitation of presidential powers in making appointments to the electoral commission. The protests continued in February through to April in other towns such as Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya, and Kahama with protesters also calling on the government to address the high cost of living.
These protests mark Tanzania's first major demonstration in seven years since President Samia Suluhu Hassan lifted the ban on political rallies and meetings in 2023.
Association
On 12th March 2024, plain clothes officers at Bandarini police post arrested activist Deusdedith Soka, a member of the opposition CHADEMA party, accusing him of publishing 'false information,' on X formerly known as twitter, and held him for several hours before releasing him on bail.
Expression
On 15th October 2023, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) implemented a ban on using Virtual Private Networks (VPN) without obtaining a permit. imposing severe consequences for non-compliance: individuals may face a fine of $2000 or a minimum prison sentence of 12 months. TCRA justified its decision by citing Regulation 16(2) of the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations of 2020, aiming to prevent Tanzanians from accessing content deemed illegal.
In October 2023, during a side event in Tanzania on ‘challenges of media freedom and the safety of journalists’ the Director of Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties and Human Rights (ACPLHR) highlighted instances of targeted violence against journalists from the Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) and urged international support to ensure journalists' safety. Around 30 participants from various media organizations, including Article 19, International Press Institute (IPI), Namibia Media Trust (NMT), Journalists Workers Union of Tanzania (JOWUTA), Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), Pan-African Lawyers Union (PALU), and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, convened. The event delved into themes such as online harassment of female journalists, legal challenges to journalism, and governmental obligations to uphold democracy and the rule of law.
On 7th February 2024, a District Commissioner Simon Simalenga expelled journalists from a crucial meeting, despite their invitation by district officials, citing meeting guidelines that prohibited the participation of uninvited guests. However, specific details of these guidelines were not provided prompting journalists Sitta Tuma and Samirah Yusuph, to question the necessity of the decision and its impact on their work.
On 16th February 2023, the "Sauti za Waandishi" survey of Tanzanian media practitioners revealed significant challenges of Tanzanian journalists. The study emphasized safety concerns, freedom limitations, and declining well-being. Among women journalists, 77% reported experiencing violence during their professional endeavors. Within this group, 27% face abuse such as sexual harassment and bribery from news sources, with 59% of these instances occurring in newsrooms.