President Samia Suluhu Poised for Re-Election as Tanzania’s Opposition Faces Disqualification
But with some of the largest opposition voices silenced, many Tanzanians fear that the democratic process has been undercut.
Her leadership has been marked by attempts to present a softer and more reform-minded image compared to Magufuli’s authoritarian style. Photo/courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Tanzanians vote on Wednesday in a general election that most observers believe will cement President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s hold on office. The election is taking place amid increasing controversy around the disqualification of major opposition challengers, meaning the ruling party will effectively contest little opposition.
Besides the presidential vote, voters will elect members of Tanzania’s parliament, comprising 400 members, and the president and lawmakers in the semiautonomous Zanzibar islands. Back home and around the world, the elections are closely watched because they are expected to define the country’s politics over the next two or three years.
The absence of top opposition contenders has loomed over the legitimacy of the election. The opposition CHADEMA boycotted following disqualification by the nation’s electoral commission earlier this year. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, who had been thought to be President Hassan’s strongest challenger, is now facing charges of treason — a claim he describes as political. CHADEMA was disqualified in April after it refused to sign the electoral code of conduct, which the party described as unfair and restrictive.
Also knocked out was Luhaga Mpina, ACT-Wazalendo candidate from Tanzania’s second-largest opposition party. His elimination came following a complaint by the Attorney General, leaving the battleground to smaller political players who are not considered strong enough to challenge the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
With these developments, analysts predict an easy victory for President Hassan, who took office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli. Her leadership has been marked by attempts to present a softer and more reform-minded image compared to Magufuli’s authoritarian style. However, critics argue that the latest election cycle shows a return to old patterns of political suppression, where opposition participation is curtailed to ensure CCM’s dominance.
The CCM, which has dominated the government in Tanzania uninterrupted since its establishment in 1977, traces its lineage back to the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) — the party which had guided the country to independence in the 1950s. CCM, for decades, has maintained firm grip over the political landscape, boasting enormous networks of influence and great influence in rural and urban areas.
While accusing the government of President Hassan of a lack of competition, the government has maintained that it wants to hold the elections legally and democratically. But with some of the largest opposition voices silenced, many Tanzanians fear that the democratic process has been undercut, leaving voters with very little real choice in the ballots.
As Tanzania votes, the outcome appears almost certain — with Hassan winning another term on the strength of CCM’s long-standing political dominance as oppositionists lament what they see as shrinking room for democracy in Tanzania.
About Author
