IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1120 

Urging the Government of Tanzania and all parties to respect human rights 

and constitutional rights and ensure free and fair elections in October 

2020, and recognizing the importance of multi-party democracy in Tanzania. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 

Ms. BASS (for herself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the Government of Tanzania and all parties to respect human rights and constitutional rights and ensure 

free and fair elections in October 2020, and recognizing 

the importance of multi-party democracy in Tanzania. 

Whereas the United States has an important interest in supporting democracy in Tanzania and has consistently demonstrated support for the Tanzanian people through efforts to advance good governance, economic growth, and 

improved access to health and education resources; 

Whereas Tanzania has held successive multiparty elections 

since 1995, with the elections in 2015 being the most 

competitive to date, despite facing substantial State interference in political organizing, both during and following the campaign period; 


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•HRES 1120 IH 

Whereas since President John Magufuli’s election in 2015, 

the Government of Tanzania has adopted and enforced 

multiple repressive laws that restrict freedom of the 

press, and of expression, assembly, and association, including the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, the Media Services 

Act of 2016, the Electronic and Postal Communications 

(Online Content) Regulations Act of 2018, the Written 

Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Act, 2018, 

and the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 

No. 3 of 2020; 

Whereas the Government of Tanzania has actively undermined independent collection, dissemination, and publication of statistics without government approval, and suspended or halted activities by multiple newspapers and 

digital and broadcast media outlets for publishing content 

deemed critical of the State or officials; 

Whereas State or State-sponsored actors have threatened, arbitrarily arrested, and attacked journalists with impunity, 

some of whom have disappeared; 

Whereas in mid-2016, the Magufuli Government placed a ban 

on political party rallies until the 2020 elections, political 

freedoms were further eroded following the amendment of 

the Political Parties Act in January 2019, and private 

opposition political party meetings have been broken up 

by police; 

Whereas freedom of association has been limited through arbitrary and mandatory registration and reporting processes for nongovernmental organizations; 

Whereas, in September 2019, the Government of Tanzania 

amended both the Companies Act and Nongovernmental 

Organization Act, which have severely restricted the abilVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:30 Sep 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1120.IH HR1120

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•HRES 1120 IH 

ity of civil society organizations working on democracy 

and human rights to receive foreign funds; 

Whereas opposition leaders have been threatened, intimidated, and physically attacked, and the government has 

failed to hold perpetrators accountable; 

Whereas President Magufuli’s lack of action to hold Tanzanian authorities accountable for arbitrary arrests, paired 

with actions to limit democratic space for civil society, 

the opposition party, and citizens of Tanzania has undermined the Constitution and rule of law in the country; 

Whereas the United States companies operating in Tanzania 

have reported harassment, corruption, and lack of respect 

for contracts and business operations, which threatens 

future United States business investment and trade partnerships; and 

Whereas the Government of Tanzania’s denial of the existence of COVID–19 in the country and suppression of information related to the pandemic has not only placed 

citizens’ health at risk, but has also violated citizens’ 

freedom of speech and right of access to information: 

Now, therefore be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) urges the Government of Tanzania to en3 sure that the 2020 election is carried out in a free, 

4 fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful manner that 

5 enables Tanzanian citizens the opportunity to exer6 cise their right to vote; 

7 (2) urges the Government of Tanzania to le8 gally guarantee and respect the rights enshrined in 


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•HRES 1120 IH 

1 its constitution, notably with respect to the right to 

2 freedom of movement, expression, information, reli3 gion, and association, as well as equality, privacy, 

4 and personal security; 

5 (3) urges the Government of Tanzania to foster 

6 a business environment conducive to continued 

7 United States trade and investment in Tanzania, in8 cluding respect for the rights of United States com9 panies operating in Tanzania; 

10 (4) calls upon the Government of Tanzania and 

11 President Magufuli— 

12 (A) to repeal repressive laws that are con13 trary to the principles of good governance, a 

14 healthy democracy, and the rights enumerated 

15 in the Tanzanian Constitution; 

16 (B) to allow citizens, civil society organiza17 tions, and political parties to assemble peace18 fully and express their views freely; 

19 (C) to immediately lift the ban on political 

20 activities to allow opposition parties to hold po21 litical rallies and demonstrations at any time, 

22 both during and outside of election periods; 

23 (D) to provide transparent, consistent, and 

24 nonintrusive procedures for nongovernmental 

25 organizations to register and to enable them to 


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•HRES 1120 IH 

1 carry out programs and other legal activity ab2 sent arbitrary state interference; 

3 (E) to safeguard press freedom, in accord4 ance with the Tanzanian Constitution and the 

5 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and 

6 (F) to condemn threats and attacks 

7 against Members of Parliament and opposition 

8 political parties, and ensure accountability for 

9 harassment, intimidation, or physical attacks on 

10 members of the opposition; and 

11 (5) calls on the United States Government to 

12 continue to engage on democratic backsliding in 

13 Tanzania and hold the Government of Tanzania ac14 countable for respecting the rights of its citizens in 

15 accordance with its international obligations and the 

16 Tanzanian Constitution. 

Æ 


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