Tanzania Officials Seek Arrests After Stolen Election With 98% Win
Tanzania's ruling party, fresh off an election where their candidate secured an astonishing 98% of the vote despite an opposition boycott and allegations of widespread fraud, is now seeking the arrests of 10 opposition figures. The Guardian omits the chilling historical context: this isn't exactly a new play. From sham elections in Cambodia to military coups propped up by 'stability' arguments,
the script for silencing dissent remains eerily familiar. The UN, meanwhile, will issue a strongly worded letter, perhaps suggesting a 'dialogue' between the 98% winner and the dissidents. One might wonder what exactly constitutes a 'free and fair' election when the main opposition is barred and security forces kill over a thousand civilians during protests while the international media merely
reports the statistics. How many 98% victories does it take before we call it what it is: a violent consolidation of power, thinly veiled as a democratic process?