John Magufuli was the President of Tanzania between 2015 and 2021. He was the sixth in a long line of presidents drawn from the same political party, the CCM, which has ruled Tanzania since its independence in 1961.
CCM presidents came and went, standing down after two terms in office, just as American presidents do. But in the 2000s, the CCM started to lose popularity in Tanzania. Corruption scandals and political infighting saw elections become closer - even after the CCM had rigged them. And it was at this point, sensing vulnerability, that the CCM decided to take a more openly authoritarian turn, by choosing John Magufuli as its leader.
Magufuli quickly moved to shut down dissenting voices and newspapers, as well as restrictions on opposition rallies. Like the canniest of dictators, he sought to demonstrate his power to others by openly lying to them, claiming green was blue. He also came to lie about the coronavirus pandemic, which he said could be treated by steam inhalation, and discouraged was wearing, testing and vaccination.
My guest today is Aikande Kwayu. Aikande is a Tanzanian social scientist, author and management consultant who has written extensively about the political and society of her home country. Much of her work focuses on international development, political economy and the role of religion in Tanzanian society.
EP127: Sadyr Japarov
EP126: Jean-Bertrand Aristide
EP125: Keir Starmer
EP124: Afonso Dhlakama
EP123: J.R. Jayewardene
EP122: The Houthis (Part 2)
EP121: The Houthis (Part 1)
EP120: Jens Stoltenberg
EP118: Mary Lou McDonald
EP117: Nayib Bukele
EP116: Hezbollah
EP115: Kim Yo Jong
EP114: Hafiz al-Assad
EP113: Alex Salmond
EP112: Islam Karimov
EP111: Geert Wilders
EP110: Hun Sen
EP109: Vytautas Landsbergis
EP108: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Everything Everywhere Daily