One would have expected Tanzania, as the de facto leader of the Frontline States, to defend the gains of the liberation struggle and to be a leader in democratic practices. But alas, it has projected the worst of practices that are undemocratic in post-independent African states.

Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min Tanzania has a distinguished role as the undisputed leader of the Frontline States. Those states bore the brunt of the struggle against apartheid from the Sixties until the last non-liberated state, South Africa, got its (independence) freedom in 1994 after waging an intense armed struggle against the apartheid system.

The fight against colonial domination was sanctioned by the Organization of African Unity, the African Union's predecessor. One of the organisation's objectives was the total emancipation of African states from the yoke of oppression and colonialism.

Tanzania, under the leadership of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, stood out and distinguished itself in the struggle for Africa's liberation. It intentionally and consciously provided military bases and refugee stations for the people of Africa coming from states that were still under colonialism. These included Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa.

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One by one these countries waged successful armed struggles against minority racial domination. These led to independence at various stages until South Africa attained freedom in 1994.

The core elements of the struggles that the Frontline States fought under Tanzania's leadership included the right to self-determination, expressed then as one man, one vote,...