East Africa’s Dangerous Climate for Political Dissent
By RICHARD KIZZA LUGOBWA LONDON. East African states, often praised for their economic potential and regional cooperation, are increasingly creating hostile environments for political dissent. Governments in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya—despite their democratic pretenses—have perfected tactics of repression, ranging from trumped-up charges and enforced disappearances to brutal crackdowns on opposition voices. The region’s leaders appear to be taking cues from one another, creating a disturbing pattern where dissent is met with state-sanctioned violence, legal persecution, and media suppression. In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, initially welcomed as a breath of fresh air after the authoritarian rule of John Magufuli, has shown that political repression remains deeply entrenched. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, returned from exile only to face fresh politically motivated charges. Accusations of sedition and incitement have been slapped against him, ahead of […]