Across East Africa, an alarming trend toward undemocratic measures is taking hold. To stay in power, governments around the world are turning to intimidation and cracking down on dissent. Notable incidents, such as the detention of Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire by Tanzanian police, underscore the region’s deteriorating political climate. To be detained for five days with no particular reason given is a chilling example of how fragile civil liberties are in Tanzania today,” stated Atuhaire. This incident sets into focus a growing phenomenon around East Africa. Opposition leaders and activists had become major targets by doing politics.
Kizza Besigye, leader of Uganda’s opposition to the ruling party, is facing major legal challenges. It’s a heavy price to pay, as he now faces charges, including treason, for organizing protests against the Ugandan government. Implied in these actions is a system where dissenters are quickly served with retaliation. In Uganda, dissenting politicians historically have been silenced or co-opted. To mute their criticism the government resorts to tactics such as providing state vehicles and loans.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been in an almost constant state of crisis since before the country’s independence. These challenges further erode the distinction between conflict and crisis. The nation’s plight serves as a stark illustration of how the failure of weak governance can tip into an insurgency, thereby further destabilizing the already fragile region. In Tanzania, government critics face a grim reality. They face arrest, forced disappearance and other forms of harassment and intimidation. Tundu Lissu, a prominent opposition leader in Tanzania, recently encountered serious legal troubles after making politically charged comments at a rally. These alarming trends reflect a coordinated campaign to silence dissenting voices at home and abroad in Uganda and Tanzania.
The deadly hand of political protest related violence has had a severe impact on East African youth. The tragic death of at least 82 individuals during protests in Kenya last year serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in advocating for democratic rights. It’s no coincidence that young people have been at the forefront of these movements. They are equally the victims of the violence that spirals out from that activity.
Sadly, Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ascension to the presidency in Tanzania did little to inspire hope about the future of democracy on the continent. Observers see her ascent as a shrewd political move by the ruling party. They claim it shows their preference for a less polarizing character over a genuine commitment to remedying our democratic dysfunction. This perception raises questions about the prospect for substantive political reform during her tenure.
In Rwanda, it’s just as grim for opposition leaders who would rather not toe the line when it comes to being critical of President Paul Kagame. Far too many have been imprisoned on fabricated ends of justice charges, further suffocating public dissent and any semblance of political plurality in this country. The landscape reveals a concerning trend where aspiring candidates must often bow to established political “kingpins” to even be considered for candidacy, effectively undermining the electoral process.
In Kenya, figures like Edwin Sifuna provide an example of how opposition candidates may become muted after entering into deals with the ruling party. These types of compromises just serve to dilute critical voices and deepen the entrenchment of the ruling elite’s power. This trend further reduces the chance for meaningful democratic change and cripples the grassroots movements that would otherwise pressure legislators and governors to pursue systemic reform.
The cases of Agather Atuhaire and Boniface Mwangi illustrate the dire consequences faced by those who express solidarity with opposition leaders like Tundu Lissu. According to media accounts, one or both of them were tortured while in Tanzanian custody. This underscores the deadly hazards that activists encounter when they oppose state power. This brutality not only chills individual participation, but sows a broader climate of fear that infects all of civil society.
We know, too, that the security services across East Africa have been fiercely loyal to leaders of government. They often put state interests above the imperatives of public safety and justice. This unquestioning fealty only heightens the dangers of political opposition, putting all individuals at increased peril from capricious acts by government agents.
To foster meaningful democracy in East Africa, it is essential to establish robust local governance structures, transparent political parties, and institutional accountability. These fundamental building blocks have been eroded over the past 20 years. This shrinking fiscal space has eroded political constituencies and coalitions, making governance more difficult across the region.
