By Verity Awala
3 minutes
Paul Makonda, politician and regional commissioner of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s capital, who launched a crackdown on
homosexuality in 2018 has been banned by the United States.
According to Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, in a statement issued on Friday, the ban also affects members of his family.
Makonda was acused by the US of being involved in “gross violations
of human rights, which include flagrant denial of the right to life,
liberty, or the security of persons”.
“The United States remains deeply concerned over deteriorating
respect for human rights and rule of law in Tanzania,” the statement
read.
“This includes actions taken by the government that curtail freedom
of expression, freedom of association, and right of peaceful assembly;
target marginalized people and the political opposition, and jeopardize
life.
“Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State
has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in
significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those
individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry
into the United States.
“The law also requires the Secretary of State to publicly or
privately designate such officials and their immediate family members.
In addition to the public designation of Paul Christian Makonda, the
Department is also publicly designating his spouse, Mary Felix Massenge.
“These actions against Paul Christian Makonda underscore our concern
with human rights violations and abuses in Tanzania, as well as our
support for accountability for those who engage in such violations and
abuses. We call on the Tanzanian government to respect human rights and
fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression, association,
and the right of peaceful assembly.”
Today we designated Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul
Christian Makonda as ineligible to enter the U.S. for his involvement in
gross violations of #humanrights. We are deeply concerned over
deteriorating respect for human rights and rule of law in #Tanzania,
Secretary Pompeo said.
Meanwhile, Makonda had said he knew he would come under fire when he
launched the anti-gay movement in 2015, explaining he would, however,
forge ahead, claiming the act “angers God.”
Others countries affected by the ban include Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar.
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