By Thomson John, London, March 16, 2020
The Idependent online newspaper has published news article titled, Tanzanians raise £ 100,000 to support opposition politicians convicted for holding a rally.
The propaganda, spurious and non-factual article was written by Andy Gregory and published three days ago.
In fact, the article is non-proffesional and aims at turnishing Tanzania’s name in international arena.
The writer says, spurious fines undermine possibility of democratic polls this year. This is astonishing. How does court fines relate with democratic polls to be held later this year?
Editors must understand that since 1995 Tanzania has been conducting multiparty elections. The fact is, even the convicted MPs are fruits of democratic elections conducted in the country after five years.
Editors must understand that Tanzanian courts are independent and not partisan. Good editors had to search in archives before publishing such a dubious article to get good background on how even Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) MPS and Ministers were jailed and fines on various crimes in pastyears .
For example, in 2015, Daniel Yona and Bazil Mramba, who served as Ministers of Finance as well as Enegy and Mineralsrespectively, were found guilty of abuse office and ocasioning Tsh 11.75 billion losses in government taxes. They were sunsquently sentenced to a three-year jail term.
The sentence of former CCM Ministers could have alarmed Independent editors to stop misleading the world with gossips and one-sided stories that are sponsored by human rights activists and imperialists to turnish Tanzania’s name.
Suprisingly, the editors wonder why President John Magufulicontributed Tsh 38 million as part of Tsh 40 million fines to be paid by CHADEMA’s MP Peter Msigwa. This is not journalism but activism. President Magufuli is like other Tanzanians who contributed for the release of the opposition leaders
Furthemore, the editors write that president, John Magufuli, introduced a ban on political rallies upon taking office in 2015, one of a raft of measures seen as further restricting freedoms in a country once viewed in the region as a stronghold of democracy.
These are the facts, President Magufuli did not prohibit political rallies but politicians are allowed to conduct rallies in their own constituencies. Read more on this https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/Magufuli--I-have-never-banned-political-rallies/1840340-4949028-oyqkg3/index.html
In terms of democracy, Tanzania is a democratic country in Africa ahead of Kenya and Ghana, according to the findings from a 38-nation Pew Research.
The survey research conducted among 41,953 respondents in 38 countries from Feb. 16 to May 8, 2017 across the world using telephone and face-to-face interviews found that 88 percent of Tanzanians are satisfied with the way democracy is working in the country under the leadership of President Magufuli.
“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 research
Recently, The African Leadership Magazine nominatedPresident Magufuli for the award of the Political Leadership for the year 2018.
This was the second award after the Africa 54 online Magazine named President Magufuli the second best Africa President for the year 2018 after the former President of Botswana Ian Khama.
President Magufuli has built a national unity by appointing opposition leaders in different positions of his government. Anna Mgwhira who was an ACT- Wazalendo Chairman now serves as a Kilimanjaro Regional Commisioner.
Dr. Kitila Mkumbo, who was also an ACT- Wazalendo leader, now is a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Water. This is one of the indicators of democraccy in Tanzania. No any former President had taken such steps of appointing the oppositions on high positions.
The government of Tanzania under President Magufuli continues to cement democratic principles, adherence to rule of law and continue to accelerate its anti- corruption agenda (which has created many enemies including some opposition politicians who were beneficiary to the corrupt system that denied many citizens their social rights).
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