TANZANIA
President Jakaya Kikwete has reshuffled the top levels of the
governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi, in power now for 50 years, to
forestall faction-fighting and prevent the party splitting apart. He is
clearing the decks, moving old corrupt figures and others, in readiness
for the 2015 general elections. He has been telling friends he believes
the CCM is ‘dying from inside’, owing to the factional stresses. His
problem is a big fall in popularity and authority for himself and the
party, in spite of winning with 61% of the vote on 31 October 2010 (AC
Vol 51 No 23). The win was commanding but the 42% turnout put a
different complexion on the result, alerting Kikwete to the need to
renew the party if apathy is not to turn into active opposition.
UGANDA
A series of ‘Walk to Work’ protests against escalating food and fuel
prices has caught the public’s imagination and the government is
cracking down. Opposition leaders are under restrictions: Kizza
Besigye, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President who lost
heavily in February’s presidential election, was arrested for the
fourth time in a fortnight on 21 April (AC Vol 52 No 5). The
demonstrations started on a small scale and then grew. Party leaders,
members of parliament and a few dozen supporters attempted to walk the
main roads in solidarity with ordinary Ugandans priced out of the
transport system.
UGANDA
The disputes over the Lake Albert oil licences and taxes which oil
companies owe the government show no sign of ending. Heritage Oil
should have paid tax to the government when it sold its exploration
blocks to Tullow Oil, says the government. When it didn’t, Kampala
sought the tax from Tullow.