Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Nyandugachided CHADEMA leaders over their claims that Tanzania is being run as a dictatorship under President John Magufuli's government, but also faulted the police for making seemingly gung-ho threats against perceived troublemakers.
Police and CHADEMA leaders are currently locked in a potentially explosive standoff over plans by the country's main opposition party to hold nationwide demonstrations and public rallies on September 1, which it has dubbed the 'day of defiance.'
"CHADEMA should change their vocabulary...and remove the word 'dictatorship' from their political statements because Tanzania has democratic institutions and respects the rule of law," Nyanduga said at a meeting to discuss the planned opposition protests.
Hedescribed the fact that CHADEMA has filed a case in the High Court asking the judiciary to set aside a police ban against the demonstrations as an indication that the rule of law and separation of powers are respected in Tanzania.
According to Nyanduga, the commission intends to reconcile CHADEMA and the police to circumvent the possibility of violence breaking out over the disputed protests.
"The commission urges ... both sides to cease the use of language or words that may lead to violence or undermine principles of human rights and good governance," he said.
"We advise the police force not to use words such as 'we will deal with all those who defy our order' because the commission feels that these words may lead to the use of excessive force by the police," he added.
He was careful to avoid taking sides on whether or not the planned demos and rallies should go ahead, emphasising instead on the need for the two sides to avoid the use of confrontational language and rather sit together ata negotiating table.
President Magufuli has on several occasions publicly warned that his government will crack down on political troublemakers "without mercy".
He has won some praise from Western donors for spearheading a sweeping anti-corruption drivein the country since coming to power in November last year.
But he has also been accused of becoming increasingly authoritarian, undermining democracy by curbing political activity, and banning live television coverage of parliamentary sessions.
Nicknamed ‘The Bulldozer’ for the way he pushes through projects, he has been quoted as saying he will not allow anyone to stand in his way and delay his government's development plans for the country.
Police were conspicuous by their absence at yesterday’s meeting convened by CHRAGG, where representatives from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party and the Attorney General's chambers were also 'no-shows'.
Nyanduga said he had received apologies from both CCM and the AG’s chambers that the relevant officials would not be present.
He urged CHADEMA to suspend its demonstrations pending the outcome of two separate court cases on the same issue currently proceeding in the country's court system.
The opposition party has filed the cases at the Mwanza division of the High Court and the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), challenging the police ban on its planned demonstrations.
CHRAGGcalled on the judiciary to expedite the hearing of both cases to prevent political tension in the country from building up.
