Former President of Botswana, Ian Khama, has strongly criticized the recent electoral process in Tanzania, condemning the violence that erupted during and after the polls. Khama said the loss of lives linked to the election was unacceptable and questioned the legitimacy of the newly inaugurated Tanzanian President.
Speaking on the aftermath of the vote, Khama stated:
“The recent election in Tanzania and from what transpired, the killings around the election… I for once do not recognise the person who was inaugurated as the President of Tanzania. She is an illegitimate president.”
Khama further condemned what he described as a troubling trend among African leaders who use state power to suppress citizens in order to retain office.
“It is totally unacceptable when an African leader, in order to stay in power, will resort to killing his or her own people. In order to stay in power, they will rig an election, as if they are God’s gift to their country.”
He criticized leaders who appear to believe they are indispensable, saying:
“When you have a country with millions of people, for any leader to think they are the only ones who can be president is pathetic.”
Khama’s remarks come at a sensitive time for Tanzania, as the government faces domestic and international scrutiny over alleged electoral irregularities and human rights violations. Calls for dialogue and reconciliation continue to intensify, with regional bodies such as the African Union and SADC encouraging peaceful engagement between the government and the opposition.
Ranks Africa will continue to monitor reactions and developments surrounding Khama’s comments and Tanzania’s ongoing post-election political climate.
