Tanzania Lawmakers Approve Controversial Political Parties Law

DAR ES SALAAM (Capital Markets in Africa) – Tanzanian legislators adopted controversial amendments to a new law that rights groups and the opposition warn will criminalize dissent and give the registrar of political parties unmerited powers to supervise the activities of political parties.

“Parliament has passed the amendments to the Political Parties Act that will bring more openness to political parties and strengthen the country’s democracy,” the government’s spokesman, Hassan Abbasi, said on Twitter.

The legislation, which now only requires President John Magufuli’s assent before it becomes law, amends a 1992 Political Parties Act that restored pluralism in Tanzania. The bill has sparked an outcry among opposition and civil rights groups since it was first introduced to parliament in November.

An attempt by a coalition of 10 opposition parties to block debate was thwarted by a high court ruling this month. The ruling party-controlled parliament came under criticism in September after it adopted another law that criminalizes the collection and dissemination of any information that contradicts official statistics.

Source: Bloomberg Business News