HRW calls for calm ahead of poll

Restrictions on social and mainstream media, extrajudicial killings of political activists, and arbitrary arrests have become routine ahead of Tanzania’s local authority elections on 27 November. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for the country's President to take a stand. ‘At this critical time, the Tanzanian authorities should take urgent steps to uphold human rights and ensure that the forthcoming elections are free and fair,’ said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at HRW. News24 reports that he said President Samia Suluhu Hassan should ensure a prompt and impartial investigation into the disappearances of her critics and put an end to the ongoing clampdowns on her political opponents and independent media. Chilling events included the 23 June abduction of Edgar Mwakabela, a social media commentator who the police linked to opposition activists and a planned boycott by traders. He was later dumped in a swamp in Katavi National Park, 1 000km away from Arusha where he was kidnapped. In the same month, police detained Kombo Mbwana from the Party for Democracy and Progress. He remains in police custody as he awaits his day in court, where he will face charges under section 126 of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act. The latest case was the discovery of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a Chadema party official whose corpse doused with acid on 7 September.