This is why Tanzania abstained from UN vote to expel Russia

Dar es Salaam. The government yesterday reiterated its non-alignment stance in the ongoing war in Europe following Russia invasion of Ukraine.

Tanzania’s position was also backed by analysts saying absentation by Tanzania was conducted as the country exercised its right of not supporting or differing with the invasion.

This comes shortly after Tanzania casted the second vote of abstaining Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council.

Of the 193 members, 93 countries voted in favor of suspension, while 24 voted against and 58 abstained, suggesting weakening international unity against Russia.

Tanzania was among the 58 countries that chose the to abstain joining Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan from the East African Region, while Ethiopia and Burundi voted against Russia ejection.

Russia becomes the second country to be suspended from the Council after Libya that faced same measures in 2011.

Contacted for clarification on the country’s decision yesterday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation’s Government Communication Unit director Emmanuel Buhohela said Tanzania had already made its position clear.

“The position was made by honourable Minister recently. I don’t think if the neutrality position will be changed,” he said.

March 30, this year, when attending a meeting of heads of World Government Summit in Dubai, Tanzania’s Vice, President Philip Mpango said the first decision to abstain from condemning Russian invasion of Ukraine was aimed at giving diplomacy a chance.

But, the Tanzania’s second decision comes about two weeks after US ambassador to the United Nations and former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas Greenfield challenged the neutrality stance by some nations.

“Neutrality in the face of atrocities is not acceptable, silence in the face of atrocities is not acceptable. I cannot imagine that anyone in Tanzania seeing a hospital attacked and a pregnant woman is wheeled out bleeding is acceptable,” the US envoy to the UN told The Citizen during an exclusive interview.

She added that to be neutral basically said one didn’t care, saying that her belief was that Tanzania and the whole African continent cared.

It also came few weeks after the European Union delegation in Tanzania had called for Africa’s support in what they termed as atrocities being committed by Russia in Ukraine.

But, yesterday, international diplomacy expert, Prof Waitengere Kitojo said not everything considered right was accepted by everybody.

“For instance, while most European countries believe on homosexuality (gays and lesbianism) contrary to the belief of Tanzania. However, we have maintained neutrality on the matter,” he said over the phone.

He said Tanzania has the right to be neutral in its decision due to the variation of human being, noting that there are democratic rights that everybody is free to express their views.

Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) executive director, Ms Anna Henga said Tanzania avoids joining the world politics split into two sides advocating for Russia and Ukraine.

“Although war should be opposed and advise them to refrain from the fight because it is detrimental to the whole world,” she said, adding that taking side was not good.

But, former LHRC boss, Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba said Tanzania has its reasons to remain neither hot nor cold.