SPOTLIGHT EAST AFRICA

Opposition politician Tundu Lissu only barely survived an assassination attempt in 2017. Now, he is running for president against incumbent John Magufuli, the man who likely wanted him dead. Opposition politician Zitto Kabwe and his followers in Mtwara: The rights of Tanzanians have been gradually, and brutally, curtailed. Photo: Sergio Ramazzotti / DER SPIEGEL The day when Tundu Lissu was supposed to die began like any other day in the Tanzanian capital of Dodoma. Shortly af

Soon after coming to office in 2015, Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli, won plaudits for living a thrifty lifestyle, shunning the usual excesses that accompany high office. The hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo comically celebrated his willingness to cut the fat of economic excess and his fight against graft. But while many Tanzanians aspire to emulate some of Magufuli’s decisions, others have pointed to a worry slide in democratic oversight. The recent detention of journalist E