U.S. LAWMAKERS convened a hearing Wednesday in Washington on what they said was an erosion of democratic institutions in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and its impact on the region’s economic growth as well as access to health and education resources.
Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa are retreating from core democratic principles, said Representative Karen Bass, chair of the House subcommittee on Africa, global health, global human rights and international organizations.
“Democratic backsliding includes but is not limited to the degradation of free and fair elections, infringement of freedom of speech, impairment of political opposition to challenge the government or hold it accountable [and] the weakening of the rule of law.”
Bass said flawed elections remained an issue in most of Africa, with leaders manipulating laws, freedoms and elections to retain power.
“Most concerning is the situation in Tanzania, which I recently addressed in House Resolution 1120, where current leadership is
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