Two Totally Different Reactions From the U.S. and China About Tanzania’s Recent Elections

The late Tanzanian President John Magufuli. ERICKY BONIPHACE / AFP

The United States and China have issued starkly different assessments of last week’s presidential elections in Tanzania. Incumbent John Magufuli declared victory with 84% of the vote, with some international observers reporting instances of fraud and voter intimidation.

China’s top diplomat for sub-Saharan Africa, Wu Peng, was among the first to send his congratulations to President Magufuli his on his re-election.  A few days later, the U.S. State Department weighed by expressing its concern about “election-related fraud and intimidation.“

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by Eric Olander

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