Anti-gay stance softened

The Tanzanian Government has distanced itself from the local administrator who called for a crackdown on gay people in Dar es Salaam. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Dar es Salaam governor Paul Makonda last week launched an anti-gay crackdown, threatening to arrest people suspected of being homosexuals. He also called on citizens to report suspected gays, warning that a surveillance squad had been formed to investigate suspects and monitor their social media profiles. However, a report on the News24 site notes that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation has published a statement saying Makonda's stance is not reflective of the country's official stance on the matter. It said it would ‘continue to respect all international agreements on human rights that have been signed and ratified’. Political rhetoric against homosexuality has increased since the election of President John Magufuli in 2015.