Chadema calls for Defiance Day in Tanzania

Tanzania's opposition party to hold nationwide campaign on 1 September.

Tanzania's main opposition party Chadema has declared 1 September "Defiance Day" to mark the beginning of a nationwide campaign against the "dictatorship" of President John Magufuli's government.

The planned protest has been criticised by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) which denied that the government is suppressing democracy and urged Tanzanians to ignore the demonstrations.

The CCM refuted Chadema's claims that since Magufuli took office last November the government had taken decisions that were contrary to the law and the Tanzanian constitution.

Chadema said that Magufuli's growing “dicatorial tendencies” included the banning of political rallies, the limiting of live coverage of parliamentary proceedings, the attempted silencing of opposition politicians, the alleged directing of courts to rule in the government's favour in tax cases, as well as seeking to clamp down on the media.

Chadema said the rallies, which would be peaceful, were aimed at protecting the democratic gains made by the party over the last two decades.