Tanzania's largest opposition party Chadema urges Sweden to halt all aid after a disputed election where the regime's candidate won with 97.66 percent of the votes. Hundreds of demonstrators are believed to have been killed in police violence, and the party boycotted the vote in protest against the lack of reforms. Swedish aid minister Benjamin Dousa is now open to reviewing the support.
On Saturday, Samia Suluhu Hassan, leader of the ruling CCM party, was declared the winner of Tanzania's presidential election with 97.66 percent of the votes. The vote was marked by a lack of opponents, as the largest opposition party Chadema boycotted it pending democratic reforms. The party's leader Tundu Lissu is now charged with treason.
Widespread protests have been met with severe violence from security forces. According to diplomatic sources cited by BBC, at least 500 people have been killed, while Chadema claims the figure is around 850. Access to information is limited, as almost no international media have received accreditation.
Chadema sent a letter to the Swedish government earlier this year requesting a review of aid. 'Sweden has a role to play as you have long been a friend to our country. Sweden is a champion for human rights and democracy, and it would be entirely in line with Swedish foreign policy to stop the cooperation,' Munishi told DN.
Sweden's aid minister Benjamin Dousa expresses concern: 'What has happened is extremely worrying. There are many dead and injured, but we do not know the scale.' He is open to reviewing the support: 'It is not a much better country today than it was in the 1970s. We have not seen the pace of reforms, the progress in democratic development and institution-building that one could expect.'
Sweden has provided tens of billions of kronor in aid to Tanzania since the 1960s, with over half a billion kronor annually today.