Tanzanians were justifiably proud of their record of peace and stability. Few would have described their democracy as perfect, but among the norms developed in more than 60 years of independence and 30 years of multiparty democracy was respect for term limits and the peaceful transfer of power—albeit only ever from one president representing the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party to another. Similarly, mass protests were vanishingly rare.
“We don’t do that here,” was a common refrain at every Tanzanian election in recent decades. International media outlets would descend for another flawed election in another unstable African democracy, and they would file reports dripping with condescension that included variations of the question: “Is it likely to turn violent?”
“We don’t do that here,” was a common refrain at every Tanzanian election in recent decades. International media outlets would descend for another flawed election in another unstable African democracy, and they would file reports dripping with condescension that included variations of the question: “Is it likely to turn violent?”
Tanzanians were justifiably proud of their record of peace and stability.
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