The United States has announced sanctions against Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele, barring him from entering the United States amid allegations that elements of the Tanzanian police engaged in serious human rights abuses following October's general election.
The measures, announced Thursday, come after President Samia Suluhu Hassan won a full term with roughly 97% of the vote in an election critics say was accompanied by a crackdown on opposition figures. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said in December that Washington was reviewing ties with Tanzania over concerns about repression and election‑related violence.
The U.S. designation targets Mafwele based on what officials described as credible information linking him to rights violations by police. The announcement cited the May detention, alleged torture and sexual assault of two regional activists who were in Dar es Salaam to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
“One year ago, members of the Tanzanian police detained, tortured, and sexually assaulted Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire and Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who were in Dar es Salaam to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu,” the U.S. statement said.
The Ugandan and Kenyan activists were arrested and detained in Tanzania in May. They allege they were mistreated while in custody and that Mafwele abandoned them near the Kenya–Tanzania border after their detention.
A presidential commission appointed to investigate postelection violence reported in April that 518 people were killed and thousands were injured. The opposition and some civil society groups say the true toll may be higher. The commission recommended further investigation into police conduct after numerous reports that unarmed civilians were shot in their homes during protests.
Internet access in Tanzania was disrupted for several days after the vote. Once connectivity was restored, videos of shootings circulated on social media despite police warnings not to share such footage. Human rights groups and international observers have called for transparent, independent probes and accountability for any abuses.
Implications: The U.S. sanctions signal growing international concern about governance and human rights in Tanzania and may deepen diplomatic scrutiny as calls grow for further investigations and accountability.
