Democratic Party | |
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| Leader | Rev. Christopher Mtikila |
| Registered | 7 June 2002 |
| Ideology | Pro-Zanzibar independence Tanganyikanultranationalism Ethnic nationalism Christian fundamentalism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Religion | Full Salvation Church |
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 Tanzania portal |
TheDemocratic Party (DP) is apolitical party inTanzania. The party was registered on 7 June 2002.The DP is led by Rev. Christopher Mtikila, who is the Reverend of the Full Salvation Church.[1] The DP calls for the dissolution of the Union Government of Tanzania and has openly campaigned for theseparation from mainland of the islands ofZanzibar andPemba fromTanganyika. The DP supports the expulsion of minorities from the mainland.
In elections for the Zanzibar Presidency and House of Representatives on 30 October 2005, DP presidential candidateAbdallah Ali Abdallah won 0.11% of the vote. The party failed to win any seats in concurrent House of Assembly elections.
Inelections held on 14 December 2005, Christopher Mtikila placed sixth out of ten candidates, winning 0.27% of the vote. The party failed to win any seats inNational Assembly elections held on the same day.
In February 1992, DP leader, Rev. Mtikila was detained for distributing leaflets insultingPresident Mwinyi and thegovernment over the handling of student unrest in 1990 at theUniversity of Dar es Salaam. (Reuters 21 Feb. 1992[incomplete short citation]) In January 1993, Rev. Mtikila and 4 DP supporters were arrested on charges ofsedition,illegal assembly, andinciting violence, after cars belonging toAsians were stoned by DP supporters following a rally in which Rev. Mtikila accused the government of allowing Asians to plunder the country’s wealth. Although Rev. Mtikila and his supporters were released on bail, they were required to surrender their passports and stay in Dar es Salaam under "preventive" detention. (AFP 1 Feb. & 8 Feb. 1993[incomplete short citation]) In September 1993, DP leader, Rev. Mtikila, was arrested for making volatile statements toPresident Mwinyi. (AFP 15 Sept. 1993[incomplete short citation]) In October 1993 Rev. Mtikila and 3 DP members were arrested for holding an unlawful assembly. (BBC 26 Oct. 1993[incomplete short citation])
In October 1994 a judge ruled in favor of a petition filed by Rev. Mtikila and determined that the law demanding licensing of political rallies violated the people’sright of association, that independent candidates can contest the firstmulti-party elections, and that state-run radio must give equal air time to all legalised parties. (AFP 25 Oct. 1994[incomplete short citation]) In February 1995 the government refuted involvement in plans to assassinate Rev. Mtikila upon his return from abroad. (Xinhua 4 Feb. 1995[incomplete short citation]) In March 1995, there was suspicion that Tanzania’s former Minister of Labour and Youth had linked with the DP and Rev. Mtikila after the Minister’s resignation on the grounds that theCCM is a "party of crooks" that is not representative ofTanzanians. In May 1995, a panel of judges rejected Rev. Mtikila’s request to bar Zanzibaris from presidential appointments. (BBC 29 May 1995[incomplete short citation])