The Honorable Dr Donald J.

Wright, 19/01/2021
United States of America Ambassador to Tanzania,
US EMBASSY, DAR ES SALAAM.

Sir,
RE: Tanzania, Where are Your Accusers?
John 8:1-11

It’s me again Sir. Happy New Year 2021! Allow me to respectfully write to you just a
day before the President-elect Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is sworn in as the
President of the United States of America (US). The reasons why I am now writing to
you in person is, one as an appointee of the beleaguered outgoing American President,
Donald John Trump, and two, I want to put on record a personal reply to ‘the US
Embassy Statement on Tanzania’s Upcoming Elections’ (issued on 1 October 2020)
and your ‘Editorial on Tanzania’s Elections’ (posted on 22 October, 2020) (available
and accessed at www.https://tz.usembassy.gov).

After the US elections and now the President-elect is about to be inaugurated, I think
we can compare some notes in light of what was stated in the Statement and the
Editorial so that, at our own time, we can soberly revisit what is democracy, free and
fair elections and why it is always important to respect states’ sovereignty by avoiding
to meddle in domestic politics. Let us quickly canvass Corruption and Voter Fraud
(Election Rigging), Bipartisanship, Inciting Election Violence, Freedoms and
Basic Rights, Racial Injustice and Discrimination and the Spoils System.

In Tanzania we have been lucky [and unlucky for US] to have Presidents associated
with the biblical name ‘John’ (Dr John Pombe Magufuli and Donald John Trump)
since 2015 and 2016 respectively. Coincidentally, the Bible has a story which I have
drawn inspiration from, that is the story of a woman accused of adultery by Pharisees
in John 8:1-11. That said, I wish to reproduce a quote by David Moore (2008),

Stone casters stand as judge, jury and executioners over the sins of others.
Stone casters are finger pointers. They are tut tutters who overshadow our
lives. They are the critics, the self-righteous accusers of others, and they are
all around us, ever ready to highlight our faults and failings.

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The US has always exemplified itself as a beacon of democracy, fairness and rule of
law while Tanzania has recently been castigated as a violator of human rights (Human
Rights Watch, 2019, Amnesty International, 2019). Let us revisit, albeit briefly, the
Statement and the Editorial in light to what has unfolded in the US since 2016. Both
the said Statement and the Editorial carried expressly and impliedly your concerns
about the credibility of our elections. For clarity, I will hereunder reproduce extracts
from the Statement and the Editorial. The US Embassy wrote on 1 October 2020,

The United States, along with other democratic nations, will be paying close
attention to actions of individuals who interfere in the democratic process or
instigate violence against the civilian population before, during, or after the
elections. We will not hesitate to consider consequences for those found to
be responsible for election-related violence or undermining the democratic
process.

In your Editorial posted on 22 October 2020 you were unreserved and scathingly
wrote,

The United States’ overarching interest in this election is that it be free, fair,
and credible, and the results reflect the will of the Tanzanian people as
expressed at the ballot box...To my dismay, I have seen and heard reports of
government and security representatives disrupting and preventing
candidates’ ability to campaign freely. As we get closer to Election Day the
pace and severity of these disruptions is quickening and deepening. We have
seen political violence, restrictions on media, and candidate certification
process that, by all appearances, gave a clear advantage to the ruling party...

The Elections Results in US and Tanzania

Dr John Pombe Magufuli and Donald John Trump, both incumbents, were candidates
for second terms in 2020 elections conducted in US and Tanzania respectively. One
lost and the other won the elections. After the announcement of the election results
there were (and still are) emotional and physical reactions semblances in Tanzania
and US from the voters, the winners and those who lost the elections. These reactions
have resulted to consequences on democracy that have not gone unnoticed and again
form the bedrock of this personal reply and a revisit of some events.

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Donald John Trump, the loser of election in US, has been accused of inciting his
followers to ‘take back their country’. As a consequence, the extremists breached the
Capitol Hill thereon battering doors and windows, injuring more than fifty law
enforcement officers and leaving five people dead as the process of certifying election
results was ongoing.

On the other hand, in Tanzania the losers of the election made similar calls. However,
the public ignored such calls by the losers, especially Tundu Antipas Lissu and his
‘plastic allies’ such as Zitto Zuberi Kabwe, and the government was emphatic that
any lawlessness would be dealt with and therefore nothing happened. What has
happened in the US has caught more attention worldwide from its allies and enemies.

Despite the emotional and physical reactions semblances of what happened after the
elections in Tanzania and US there is one whopping difference, the extent and
consequences of those reactions. Notably, apart from deaths, injuries and destruction
of properties, the long-term impact on legitimacy of an elected government resulting
from those emotional and physical reactions cannot be underestimated.

Understandably, the right to protest is a democratic right. However, if that right is

abused and life is lost the government bears the responsibility. The abusers of that
right must be held accountable. Donald John Trump and his campaign team are
accused of instigating violence that led to the loss of life and injuries to American
citizens including law enforcement officers. The same consequences that the US
Embassy cautioned Tanzania about and threatened “not hesitate to consider
consequences for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or
undermining the democratic process”.

Now, is this not the opportune moment for the Tanzanian Government to consider and
take action against Donald John Trump and all his political stooges? When the
government in Tanzania performed its constitutional mandate, to protect life and
property, it was called tyrannical and a violator of human rights. What can we call the
US after the instigation by a sitting President? The Tanzanian Government should ban
Donald John Trump and the other instigators from setting foot on its soil.

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Underneath the difference of what recently happened in the US and Tanzania there is
the cyclic difficulty of what democracy means. There are two groups that have
abnormally gone mute after all that has happened in the US. These are, the US
Embassy, yourself and international community on the one hand, the local activists
including the opposition leaders in Tanzania (CHADEMA, ACT, CUF etc.) on the
other hand.

I find it exceptionally necessary [if not obligatory] that the muted support or
disappointment/condemnation by these groups, which have always been quick to
condemn Tanzania, must be amplified so that the common Tanzanian discerns the
stark reality and bitter truth about the hypocrisy of the West and our local opposition
parties. The criticism leveled against the Tanzanian government is never objective. It
is mostly plaited with ulterior motives, to propagate the opposition agenda and to
weaken the government by lowering its political legitimacy.

Now the world, seated on a recliner, is watching in dismay how the much-touted
American democracy has been undermined and the unveiling of the darker reality of
the American political system. Kindly recall that this letter generally seeks to
highlight two issues related to democracy, that is, the US electoral process and
violations of basic freedoms and rights by the US government following ascending to
the presidency by a political neophyte/reality television star, Donald John Trump.

The US lacks the Moral Authority to Question Other States

In biblical terms, “brother, how can you say let me take the speck out of your eye
when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite...” It is time
for the US to clean its own house. To drive the point home I have randomly selected
few key issues that have resurfaced during the Trump’s administration and after the
2020 election in the US. A comparison is drawn to highlight the daylight hypocrisy of
the American authorities and some of its allies who have always meddled in
Tanzanian politics claiming to call for democracy and the respect of human rights. If
the US were the benchmark or the beacon of democracy and protection of freedoms
and basic rights the facts given below would bail it out. However, on the contrary,
available facts and evidence point to a different direction where human rights
violations are an order of the day.

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US Electoral Process: Corruption and Voter Fraud

As it was in 2016 claims of election rigging resurfaced in 2020 elections in the US.
This time around the leading claimant [and self proclaimed victim] is an incumbent.
Donald Trump is the person who was charged for four years with the responsibility to
ensure that the systems within the American polity are not porous and work towards
safeguarding the democratic values of the American citizens. However, this time his
refusal to concede defeat and attempts to overturn the election in Court takes us back
to what he said back then in 2016 at a Wisconsin rally when Trump told his crowd,

Remember, we are competing in a rigged election. They even want to try and
rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt and
voter fraud is all too common” (Collinson, 2016).

Despite these serious allegations of corruption and voter fraud when Donald Trump
won the presidential elections in 2016, corruption and voter fraud in US seemed not to
be a problem until now when he has lost the election! America today teaches us some
valuable lessons when it comes to elections. It can be argued that corruption and voter
fraud should not be entertained without concrete proof. This is acceptable. However,
the economic and political effects of allegations of corruption and voter fraud on
perception of the people and legitimacy of a government cannot be undermined.

It is high time for our ‘development partners’ and specifically the US Embassy to
understand that apart from violence; allegations of voter fraud and political
conspiracy theories can decrease political activity (Jolley and Douglas, 2014), trust in
government (Einstein and Glick, 2015) and as Tomz and Weeks (2020) found
citizens’ confidence in elections and faith in democracy is affected when conspiracy
theories are entertained.

The US Embassy should always remain neutral and objective during elections in
Tanzania. Partisanship has an effect on perceptions during elections. Edelson et al.
(2017) noted that losing partisans are consistently more likely to think there was
election fraud than the winning team. Their research shows that conspiratorial
predispositions (especially before the election) and partisanship (especially after the
election) predict belief in election fraud.

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This finding is consistent with what Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo
(CHADEMA) did after the elections in 2020. The allegations of election rigging
largely were a result of CHADEMA losing the election. No one relishes losing and
therefore no wonder Tundu Antipas Lissu and Godbless Lema have self-exiled
themselves purportedly for fearing for their lives after the election. They are now in
‘exile’ in Belgium and Canada respectively. The perception created is that the
elections were not fair and the political landscape is tilted against opposition leaders
hence their self-imposed exile. Just like in the US it is so in Tanzania, losers will
always cry foul play even when they have fairly lost. The issue is how and why the
‘development partners’ are always quick to judge and cast the first stone while well
aware of this truth about losing. Or was the election stolen from Republicans?

Racial Injustice and Discrimination

During his tenure in office America has witnessed unprecedented protests and
demonstrations in the last two decades following senseless killings of Black
Americans. Questions abound on how the police and authorities have handled the
situation, which seems not to get any better so far. Innocent persons have lost their
lives while still the Black community feels that it is being systematically excluded and
discriminated based on race. Rashawn and Gilbert (2020) observed that Blacks still
occupy lower sector jobs, which do not offer sufficient, pay to comfortably provide
for families. They further noted that 90% of Black-owned businesses that applied for
Pay Protection Plan (PPP) introduced under the Trump administration during Covid-
19 pandemic were denied!

Reflecting on all these I pose and ask, will the US not hesitate to consider
consequences for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or
undermining the democratic process on its soil? Tanzania where are your
accusers? The US Embassy in Tanzania was unequivocal on the role of the US in
supporting a genuinely free, fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process, before,
during, and after Election Day. Now we are watching with keen interest what is
unfolding right on the US backyard during daylight and waiting to see the
consequences on those who instigated the violence! Twitter, YouTube and Facebook
have taken action, banned Donald John Trump. What next? Tanzania should do the
same, ban Donald John Trump and his allies from its soil.

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Elections and Bipartisanship

Partisans are more likely to endorse conspiracies that make the other party the villain,
undermining the hard work and virtuous intent of well- meaning citizens. Miller et al.
(2015) found that partisan-motivated reasoning drives support for conspiracies that
portray the other party (such as Chama Cha Mapinduzi) in a negative light. Uscinski
et al. (2016) found that both partisanship and conspiratorial pre-dispositions shape
whether people perceive conspiracies. In terms of partisanship, people are less likely
to think conspiratorially when their co-partisans are the villains.

Comparisons may thus be drawn with what Chama Cha Mapinduzi and Chama
Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (and other opposition parties) have always been at
logger heads about during and after elections. The US Embassy and the other
development partners again should be objective during elections. The US elections
provide valid evidence when considering how bipartisanship affect perceptions. The
Republicans have refused to concede the elections results. They have gone far to
instigate violence leading to loss of life, destruction of property and causing injuries
to law enforcement officers. And it is telling that the President-elect has a
mountainous task during his time in office after his inauguration to mend the obvious
social divide between whites and the minorities especially Blacks.

Freedoms and Basic Rights in US

Sadly, the trend of fatal police shootings in the US seems to only be increasing, with a
total 999 civilians having been shot, 226 of whom were Black, in 2020. In 2018,
there were 996 fatal police shootings, and in 2019 this figure increased to 1,004.
Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much
higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 34 fatal shootings per million of
the population as of December 2020. The Black Lives Matter Movement is a
culmination of what social divisions within the American community. The white
supremacy attitudes have received open support from the Trump camp. During his
presidency he found it hard to condemn the white supremacists or their actions!

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And when Trump white extremists supporters including the Proud Boys and the
Oath Keepers stormed the Capitol Hill, breaking windows, spraying chemical
irritants, wielding lead pipes as they were getting in and posing for selfies when
inside, the police did very little to prevent or arrested them. The actions of the police
have come under heavy criticism because a group of Black Lives Matter protestors
would not have received similar treatment from the police. People of color are treated
differently in the US. After winning the election in 2016 the Trump administration did
very little to fix the US electoral system issues or ameliorate the systemic issues
facing the minorities, especially Black Americans including violations of their human
rights and exclusion from social services and the economy. Racial injustice is a bitter
reality in America.

However, in Tanzania, such high numbers of civilians’ deaths by police and racial
discrimination do not exist. I do not condone any kind of police brutality and each
death, even one, counts. However, the point here is, where does the US find the
moral authority to question Tanzania an other African states for acts which it is
committing in an alarming higher rate?

Despite the concept of universalism, issues of human rights must be dealt within the
contextual realms of each country. The opposition is always geared towards pushing
the ruling government to a tight corner so as to earn political mileage. After all, the
main objective of any political party is to get into power. When law enforcement
agencies perform their mandate they are exposed to criticisms such as human rights
violations. The US has learnt this the hard way when dealing with people of color and
now the Capitol Hill white privileged protestors. Goal shifting!

Spoils System (Appointment to Public Office)

During his four-year tenure Donald John Trump appointed his campaign officials (for
example Corey Lewandoski and David Bossie), prominent aides (such as Andrew
Giuliani, son of his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Nick Luna) and his supporters and
fundraisers to federal advisory boards and other public offices including the highest
court in America, the Supreme Court, e.g. Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. The
appointments were a subject of fierce debate and criticisms in the US.

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These are among the things that are said to be characteristic to developing states,
especially in Africa. The local opposition in Tanzania has lamely accused President
Dr John Pombe Magufuli in some cases that he has appointed CCM party loyalists.
However, the same opposition will never say a negative thing about the US and its
wrong doings because they believe that to succeed politically they need your support.
Recently, some of the Tanzanian opposition leaders have called upon the international
community to cut-off aid or refuse to advance loans for development projects. They
have rallied embassies and international institutions to take measures that have a
direct economic effect on the country claiming that they are being persecuted because
of the political inclinations. It is only now they have gone mute. They see nothing
wrong? Not really. Do you see anything wrong Hon. Ambassador?

Equality of States and Respect of Sovereignty

States are equal in international law. And that is all. However, when it comes to
criticisms the powerful states and watchdogs of human rights violations find it easier
to point a finger to the less powerful states such as Tanzania. Some countries such as
Zimbabwe have been sanctioned for allegations of human rights violations. We all
know the US cannot be sanctioned, not because it does not violate human rights rather
because it decides what amounts to human rights violation or the gravity thereof.

It is therefore important that each country should be left alone to decide on some of
the matters that relates to it especially elections. The same standards should be
applied when there are allegations of election rigging, violence etc. It is why calls for
action against Donald John Trump and all those who participated in inciting violence
and riots should not go unanswered. Hon. Ambassador can you say something now
that you have seen and heard what has happened in US just like when you issued
the Editorial after seeing and having heard... what happened here?

Lessons from Tanzanian Elections

The US should learn from Tanzania this time around. Despite some discrepancies in
our presidential elections, which can be blamed on structural deficiencies as a
country, we came out stronger and better as a country after the elections.

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There were unfounded worries when the results came out and Chama Cha Mapinduzi
(CCM) emerged the winner with a landslide margin of votes. Some critics were quick
to brush it off as an act of impossibility that CCM would win as it did. However, how
the public responded and/or reacted after the elections in Tanzania was further
evidence that, as a country, we were well prepared than the US. The Observers, in
unison, concluded that the elections were peaceful and fair.

When the losers of the election called for demonstrations and protests no one showed
up. It was not because of cowardice or state’s aggressive intervention but rather lack
of reason and justification to take it on the streets like in the US. It is a lesson to the
US and all its allies. We are capable to chart our own destiny and fate under the
leadership of his Excellency the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr
John Pombe Magufuli and Chama Cha Mapinduzi.

Conclusion

The US remains strong economically. Its structures still allow its version of
democracy to thrive. Nick Paton, a CNN’s International Security Editor, argued that
America was lucky to be saved by its democracy as most attempted coups elsewhere
in the world would have left a hangover of giddying uncertainty. This is evidence of
the underlying thinking of what American democracy is, better than elsewhere in the
world. However, there is no denying that the American system is inclined to serve the
selfish interests of the privileged American people within and outside its borders.

The American system does not choose whom to take under the bus as long as he or
she represents what is considered un-American. No wonder Blacks, Hispanics and
other minorities inexplicably suffer under the said system while the US is busy
looking elsewhere and unashamedly condemning purported human rights violations.
The Tanzanian Government should (just like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube) ban
Donald John Trump together with all those who incited political violence in US
including their spouses from setting foot in Tanzania. It is time to take a back seat and
wonder, where thee accusers of Tanzania to cast the first stone?

Sgd. Albert G. Msando, Advocate.

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