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Gay and transgender people in Tanzania hid, fearing for their lives, after a senior government official called on the public to report suspected homosexuals so that they could be arrested early in the week next.
Paul Makonda, regional commissioner of Dar es Salaam, the main city of Tanzania, announced the crackdown on Monday. He added that a team would be set up to identify and arrest the "many homosexuals", who could be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The announcement of Mr. Makonda has sparked panic and fear among thousands of LGBT people in this country of East Africa. Some said that they were too scared to go out during the day, while others had left their homes for fear of imminent arrest.
"Since Monday, I leave my home and I move here and there.I always look over my shoulder in case they come pick me up," said Nathan, 24, on the phone to Reuters by phone.
"There is so much tension in the gay community right now, not only in Dar, but all over the country, we are really scared, we do not know what to do or where to go."
Gay sex is illegal in Tanzania, but the law is rarely enforced. Homophobia and attacks and arrests of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have however increased since the election of President John Magufuli in 2015, according to activists.
Although the crackdown is scheduled to begin Monday, Nathan said houses were already being raided in the port city and homosexuals were arrested.
African countries have some of the most prohibitive laws of the colonial era against homosexuality in the world. Same-sex relationships are considered taboo and constitute a crime in most of the continent. Penalties range from imprisonment to the death penalty.
As a result, activists say, the persecution, discrimination and exploitation of African sexual minorities are commonplace.
They are regularly mistreated, blackmailed, assaulted by crowds or raped by police or militia. Many are unable to get a job because of their sexual identity, which forces them to sell sex on social media sites.
Tanzania has a reputation for being more tolerant than its neighbor, Uganda, but since President Magufuli came to power three years ago, activists say the lack of protection, of representation and freedom that LGBT people had available are eroding slowly.
Civil society organizations supporting gay people have been closed and activists arrested. Authorities have also suspended HIV / AIDS prevention programs for gay men.
Last June, President Magufuli said that "even cows" disapproved of homosexuality.
Mr Makonda said at a press conference on Tuesday that he had already received more than 5,700 messages from the public – with more than 100 names of alleged homosexuals.
A 17-member committee is also set up, he said, which would be responsible for identifying homosexuals on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and stopping them.
The campaign group Equality Now said that he was appalled and alarmed by the crackdown – which is also targeting sex workers. He called on the federal government to condemn Makonda's statement and adopt laws and policies to protect the rights of all.
"LGBT people and prostitutes are already frequently ostracized and face multiple levels of violence and inequality," said Tsitsi Matekaire, Equality Now.
"Stopping them perpetuates this inequality, which leads to increased marginalization and damage to their well-being."
LGBT people in Tanzania said foreign donors had to pressure the government to abandon the anti-gay campaign.
Authorities abandoned a previous crackdown on the LGBT community in 2016, following a widespread condemnation by the international community.
They also called on the United Nations to protect them by providing security in another country.
"I have not left my house during the day for four days, I'm afraid of dying," said Michael, a 19-year-old sex worker, by phone from Arusha, in the north of east of the country.
"We have no one to protect us, we are asking the United Nations and other countries to help us go somewhere else without having to hide in fear."
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