Tanzania has expelled the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the country, the foreign ministry has said in a statement. It blamed Awa Dabo, a Gambian national, for the "deteriorating performance" of her office, driven by what it called her "strained relations" with staff. But local media have linked the shock move with Dabo's alleged criticism of controversial elections on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar last year. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a UNDP official said that Dabo had been deported on the same day the government issued the order, under a security escort. Opposition MP Paskal Haonga condemned the move to expel Dabo, saying it soiled the reputation of Tanzania in international diplomatic circles.

Source: The Star April 25, 2017 17:48 UTC