Correspondent,The London Wire
The
Amnesty International network, respected for her great human rights work, has
published one of the most fallacious analysis on its lifetime titled thus: Tanzania: Authorities Rushing to Pass bill
to Further Repress Human Rights.”
Our
analysis of the framing in the article and reality on the ground leads to one
single conclusion; the article is a sponsored complaint from one of the NGOs
who are not ready to follow the laws of the land.
Starting
with the misleading headline of the story, the writer says… authorities rushing to pass a
bill. Amnesty International must
understand that Tanzania as an independent country sets time and date of its
own to discuss and debate on various issues. Issues of “rushing” are non-
applicable to any independent country as each country has its legal procedures
in place.
Our
correspondent in Dodoma, Tanzania’s Capital has confirmed that contrary to
Amnesty, the public and other civil society entities have all been invited to
comment on the law through public hearing and expert presentations.
“I’m
a lawyer based in Morogoro, through our Law Society, we were called into the
process to give out our opinions. We did. I was amazed to read an online
article condemning the process as ‘rushing’,” said Simon Kilindo, a lawyer.
Furthermore,
the headline uses words like …”to repress
human rights. This implies human rights issues are not currently observed
in Tanzania. These are off the beam
statements that are judgmental.
Amnesty
is above these cheap frames that are calculated to a premature conclusion on a
matter they have not procured the views of another side. Is it a new approach
to human right to accuse someone without the right of reply? A new norm?
The
fact is, Tanzania is known to undertaking tremendous economic transformation
through the Vision 2025 that aims to make the country move from low to middle
income economy status by 2025, says a Forbes Africa special country report for
Tanzania.
In
order to achieve this economic transformation, the government is seriously
promoting the rule of the law, good governance and human rights. Adherence to
social ethics, laws and procedures are also prioritized.
Education,
Health and Water are some areas among the many where the government has worked
seriously to ensure the human rights and good governance record is ensured in
Tanzania.
For
example, the government of Tanzania has established the free education policy
to both primary and secondary education to ensure all children are accessing
education in the country.
In
health sector, government of President John Magufuli has increased the health
budget from tsh 31bn/- from 2014 /2015 FY to tsh 269bn/- in 2017/2018 financial
year to construct new health centres, hire health experts, purchase medicine
and equipment.
Until
now, the government has constructed new 352 health centres using local
resources. In the period of last three years, the government has constructed
578 houses for health workers and 268 houses for medical personnel
respectively.
Surprisingly,
the Amnesty story alleges that the law will give room to Tanzanian authorities
to deregister NGOs which will be linked to terrorism, homosexual as well as breach
of their own mandates.
It
is more surprising than not to witness such a global forum defending breaches
of laws, instigation of crimes through terrorism and suspension of African
morality by promotion of homosexuals.
“NGOs
are part of civil societies and they are supposed to obey and implement the laws.
No country will allow NGOs that have links to terrorism or other social evils.
I find Tanzania has acceptable reasons on its move,” said Johansen Clitcher, a
human rights activist.
Contrary
to the human rights stunt, it is worth noting that,
the findings from a 38-nation Pew Research conducted in 2017, revealed Tanzania
as most democratic country in Africa, ahead of Kenya and Ghana.
Amnesty
International must understand that all countries in the world are fighting
terrorism and money laundering. Research in many countries indicates that some civil
society organisations are used as channels of funding terrorism and money
laundering. See UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisations--2
Tanzania
as one of the pioneers of peace and democracy in the World will never accept
pocket operating non- governmental organizations as well organizations that
support terrorism and money laundering.
“Trust in the national government is highest in Tanzania. About nine-in-ten people in Tanzania (89%) trust their government
to do what is right for their country, including 48% who say they have “a lot”
of trust,” states the Pew research. Have the Amnesty experts considered these
empirical facts?
Moreover, Journalists and media stations/ newsrooms enjoy freedom
of expression in Tanzania. Currently in Tanzania, there are 216 registered
newspapers, 160 radio stations and 35 televisions stations respectively.
There
is another accusation that censorship will be applied to promote accountability
among NGOs in Tanzania. This is done everywhere in the world and not only in
Tanzania. One can easily say that Tanzania was late to implement this law.
See
what India and other nations have done to promote national ethos against errand
NGOs:
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