Abductions will deepen fear among Tanzanian activists

Subject

Political violence in Tanzania.

Significance

In early July, Raphael Ongangi, a Kenyan businessman and former aide to firebrand Tanzanian opposition leader Zitto Kabwe, was found alive in Mombasa, Kenya, having been abducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, some eight days earlier. This incident is only the latest in a string of similar incidents that appear primarily to target anti-government critics.

Impacts

• Public distrust in security organs will deteriorate further if concrete action or transparent investigations are not undertaken.
• Dissenting voices may become rarer as critics weigh the risks to themselves and those around them.
• Fear among prominent figures will likely cause more to express support for the government for fear of being deemed anti-government.