COPENHAGEN — Tanzania's second-biggest donor Denmark said it would withhold $10 million worth of aid money, citing concerns over human rights abuses and "unacceptable homophobic comments" made by a government official.
The decision came on the same day that the World Bank said it had scrapped a plan to loan Tanzania $300 million after the country reaffirmed its policy of banning pregnant girls from school and recently made it a crime to question official statistics.
"I am very worried about the negative development in Tanzania, the latest being the completely unacceptable homophobic statements from a commissioner," Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tornaes said on Twitter on Wednesday.
Denmark will now withhold 65 million Danish crowns ($9.88 million) in aid to Tanzania, she added. Denmark provided 349 million crowns in foreign aid last year.
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The comments in question were made by administrative chief of the capital Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, who earlier this month announced an anti-gay crackdown in the city, a spokeswoman for the Danish minister told Reuters.
Reuters was not able to reach Tanzanian government officials for immediate comment. The foreign ministry has previously said Makonda's anti-gay campaign represented his own views and not the official government position.
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However, President Magufuli's government has also been criticized by opposition politicians and international rights groups for what they say is growing authoritarianism and intolerance of dissent. The government rejects the criticism.
