Democratic Party (Tanzania)
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The Democratic Party (DP) is a political party in Tanzania. The party was registered on 7 June 2002. The DP is led by Rev. Christopher Mtikila, who is the Reverend of the Full Salvation Church. The DP calls for the dissolution of the Union Government of Tanzania and has openly campaigned for the separation of the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba from mainland Tanganyika. The DP supports the expulsion of minorities from the mainland.
In elections for the Zanzibar Presidency and House of Representatives on 30 October 2005, DP presidential candidate Abdallah Ali Abdallah won 0.11% of the vote. The party failed to win any seats in concurrent House of Assembly elections.
In elections held on 14 December 2005, Christopher Mtikila placed sixth out of ten candidates, winning 0.27% of the vote. The party failed to win any seats in National Assembly elections held on the same day.
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[edit] Government treatment of DP members and members of opposition political parties
Freedom of association is a civil right that is limited in practice, despite Constitutional protection for such activity. Opposition political party members do openly criticize the Government in public forums, although persons using "abusive language" against the country’s leadership may be subject to arrest. The Government has used this provision to detain some opposition figures.
The government has refused to legalize the DP because it has failed to present the requisite number of party members from Zanzibar as required by law. (AFP 18 Oct. 1993) DP leader, Rev. Mtikila, was able to publicize his political views through his church and through lawsuits he has filed against the Government, despite his party’s lack of government recognition
Political parties must provide 48 hours’ advance notice if they intend to hold a rally. Police have authority to deny permission to political parties to hold rallies on the grounds of public safety and security if the organization or political party is unregistered. In September 1996 a march organized by an opposition party canceled its rally due to government intimidation. Opposition parties on Zanzibar are unable to hold rallies. Police continue to break up meetings held by persons opposed to the Zanzibar government.
Elections held 6 times during 1997 on the mainland were marred by violence. In late 1996, after government party losses in the by-election, new directives were issued limiting political activity and fund raising on the grounds of maintaining order. There are no restrictions on the participation of women in politics and government, but in practice few women are politically active. The ruling CCM party maintains local cells of unpaid party officials who have the authority to resolve grassroots problems and to report suspicious behavior and noncompliance with compulsory night patrols. Since 1993, the role of the cells has decreased. Tanzanian President Mkapa has also publicly suggested that government officials could lose their job for supporting the opposition.
[edit] Incidents involving the Democratic Party (DP)
In February 1992, DP leader, Rev. Mtikila was detained for distributing leaflets insulting President Mwinyi and the government over the handling of student unrest in 1990 at the University of Dar es Salaam. (Reuters 21 Feb. 1992) In January 1993, Rev. Mtikila and 4 DP supporters were arrested on charges of sedition, illegal assembly, and inciting violence, after cars belonging to Asians were stoned by DP supporters following a rally in which Rev. Mtikila accused the government of allowing Asians to plunder the country’s wealth. Although Rev. Mtikila and his supporters were released on bail, they were required to surrender their passports and stay in Dar es Salaam under "preventive" detention. (AFP 1 Feb. & 8 Feb. 1993) In September of 1993, DP leader, Rev. Mtikila, was arrested for making volatile statements to President Mwinyi. (AFP 15 Sept. 1993) In October 1993 Rev. Mtikila and 3 DP members were arrested for holding an unlawful assembly. (BBC 26 Oct. 1993)
In October 1994 a judge ruled in favor of a petition filed by Rev. Mtikila and determined that the law demanding licensing of political rallies violated the people’s right of association, that independent candidates can contest the first multi-party elections, and that state-run radio must give equal air time to all legalized parties. (AFP 25 Oct. 1994) In February 1995 the government refuted involvement in plans to assassinate Rev. Mtikila upon his return from abroad. (Xinhua 4 Feb. 1995) In March 1995, there was suspicion that Tanzania’s former Minister of Labor and Youth had linked with the DP and Rev. Mtikila after the Minister’s resignation on the grounds that the CCM is a "party of crooks" that is not representative of Tanzanians. In May 1995, a panel of judges rejected Rev. Mtikila’s request to bar Zanzibaris from presidential appointments. (BBC 29 May 1995)
