Tanzania's anti-gay crusader resigns from running main city

A Tanzanian governor, infamous for creating a surveillance squad in 2018 to hunt down gay people, has resigned to seek a parliamentary seat in October's general elections.

Paul Makonda announced his resignation as the administrative head of the economic capital Dar es Salaam on Wednesday on Twitter and asked for prayers.

He will seek the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi's nomination for a parliamentary seat in the city's Kigamboni suburb.

During his five-year term as the city's commissioner, Mr Makonda attracted headlines both locally and abroad over his anti-gay campaign, leading to sanctions against him and his family by the US in February.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the sanctions were due to Mr Makonda’s involvement in “gross violations of human rights”.

Homosexual acts are illegal in Tanzania.

In August 2019, Mr Makonda also hit the headlines over plans to create and publish a national database of married men to protect women from "heart break".

He said the idea came to him after receiving complaints from women abandoned by their lovers who had proposed to them.