The European Parliament is sounding the alarm on Tanzania’s deteriorating human rights situation, with MEPs calling for immediate action to hold the government accountable.

David McAllister, Member of the European Parliament, has issued a stark warning, stating, “Tanzania’s continued pivot from the rule of law, reforms, and good governance demands a genuine assessment of our bilateral relationship.” He emphasized that the EU cannot simply revert to “business as usual” given the gravity of the situation.

McAllister condemned the recent elections in Tanzania, describing them as “not an irregularity but the systematic destruction of democratic competition.” He highlighted the persecution of opposition leaders, including Tundu Lissu, who was jailed, and citizens who were “beaten, shot, abducted, and silenced.”

The EU Parliamentarian urged the European Commission to take concrete steps, declaring, “The time to act is now. All political prisoners must be released immediately and without condition.” He also called for an immediate halt to EU funds channeled through state-funded initiatives, stating, “The EU must not use its funds to subsidize oppression.”

Catarina Vieira, another MEP, echoed McAllister’s concerns, stating, “Tanzania is showing a deeply troubling pattern of repression, where critics, journalists, and activists face threats, arrests, killings, and forced disappearances.” She cited the brutal treatment of Agather Atuhaire and Boniface Mwangi, who were beaten and tortured for observing Tundu Lissu’s trial, as a stark example of the need for urgent accountability.

The MEPs’ statements come ahead of a crucial vote, with Vieira emphasizing that “our actions, not just our words, must match the needs of the people of Tanzania.” The EU Parliament is set to send a strong message, with McAllister announcing that “tomorrow (Thursday, 27th November 2025), this house will send an unmistakable message, all EU funds channeled through state-funded must be stopped immediately.”