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Tanzania Elections Marred by Crackdown on Opposition, Critics Say

Dodoma, Tanzania – Tanzanians head to the polls Wednesday to elect a president, parliament members, and local officials, but the election is overshadowed by accusations that incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan has stifled dissent to secure a victory. Hassan, of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, is widely expected to win, but rights groups and opposition members allege a heavy crackdown on political rivals, activists, and journalists has undermined the fairness of the process.

Key opposition figures, Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, have been barred from running, effectively eliminating any significant challenge to Hassan. Chadema party member John Kitoka, who is currently in hiding to avoid arrest, told Al Jazeera the elections are “completely a sham.”

Amnesty International has reported that Hassan’s government has intensified “repressive practices,” including forced disappearances, arrests, harassment, and even torture, targeting dissenting voices. Last week, Hassan urged Tanzanians to ignore calls to boycott the vote and warned against protests.

Lissu was calling on the government to change the makeup of the Independent National Election Commission, arguing that the agency should not include people appointed directly by Hassan. Government officials claimed his statements were “inciting” and arrested Lissu on April 9.

In Zanzibar, the election is expected to be more competitive.
The election, the first ballot test for Hassan since she assumed the presidency in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, was intended to gauge public sentiment regarding her leadership. While she initially reversed some of Magufuli’s controversial policies, including COVID-19 denialism, and focused on infrastructure development, critics contend her governance has become increasingly authoritarian, resembling that of her predecessor.

Tanzania, a nation rich in natural resources and wildlife, faces other challenges including human-wildlife conflict and tensions with indigenous groups over conservation efforts. The government has also introduced controversial policies restricting foreign business ownership. Despite stable economic growth, nearly half of the population lives below the international poverty line.

The international community is watching closely to see whether Tanzania’s democracy will withstand the pressures of these elections.

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