Tanzania parties bill will tighten Magufuli’s grip

Subject

Tanzania's political parties bill.

Significance

On January 14, the High Court denied an opposition petition seeking to prevent a controversial set of amendments to the 2002 Political Parties Act being tabled in Tanzania’s National Assembly. The reforms would give the Registrar of Political Parties considerable powers to interfere in internal party processes.

Impacts

• Stifling dissent will weaken the budget process, enabling more off-budget expenditures and likely populist budgets ahead of 2020 elections.
• Judicial independence will be tested as cases challenging this legislation or decisions such as the ban on political rallies multiply.
• Ruling party dissenters will have less room for manoeuvre, leaving them more reliant on any moderating influence party elders may have.