Tanzania

Tanzania‘s 2025 Election Deemed Flawed by African union and SADC

Recent elections in Tanzania have drawn sharp ​criticism‍ from both the African Union (AU) and the Southern African‌ Growth​ Community (SADC),citing significant shortcomings in democratic standards and a violent crackdown on dissent. The concerns ⁣center around a lack of a level playing field, suppression of ⁢opposition, and a brutal ⁣response‌ to post-election protests.

Following ‍the election, ‍protests erupted in Dar es​ Salaam and ⁢other cities, met with force by Tanzanian police who deployed tear gas and limited internet access. Chadema, the country’s main opposition party, ⁣alleges “hundreds‍ of‍ people were killed” during ‌the unrest, ⁣a claim the government has denied. Al Jazeera reviewed videos documenting the violence, showing “dozens of bodies, including of people shot in the head, ⁣protesters with bloodied faces, and ⁢security forces firing guns in the streets.”

The AU mission has called on Tanzanian authorities ‍to exercise restraint and ‌conduct “thorough‌ investigations” into the violence against ‍protesters.⁤ Their report emphasizes the need‍ for “electoral⁢ and political reforms to address the‌ root‌ causes of it’s democratic and electoral challenges witnessed ahead of, during, and after the 2025 General Elections.” The report‌ further states the election ⁢was “not conducive to ⁢peaceful⁤ conduct and⁤ acceptance of electoral outcomes.”

SADC issued a similarly critical preliminary report‍ on Monday, detailing “violence, censorship and ‘general ⁤intimidation’ of the public⁤ and opposition figures.” SADC concluded that “voters could not express their democratic will”⁣ and​ that the elections​ “fell short” of SADC principles. This marks a rare public rebuke‍ by SADC, their last being⁢ directed at zimbabwe’s election in 2023.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured⁤ nearly 98% of the vote, but the election⁢ was significantly impacted by the disqualification of key opposition figures.Chadema was barred from​ competing in‌ April after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, while ACT-Wazalendo, the ‌country’s second-biggest party, was excluded following an objection from‌ the attorney‌ general.‌

Chadema’s leader, Tundu Lissu, ‌also faces‌ a⁣ treason trial after⁤ advocating for election reforms. SADC’s ​report directly ‌linked these disqualifications to an “uneven political⁣ playing field” that undermined the democratic process.

Following her ⁢swearing-in, President Hassan reportedly blamed foreigners for the‍ protests, stating, “it was not a surprise that those arrested were from other‌ countries,” according‌ to⁣ a translation ‍by the Associated Press.

As assuming ⁢power in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, Hassan’s administration‌ has ‌faced repeated accusations from local ‍and ⁣international watchdogs of engaging in forced disappearances, ‍torture, assault of critics,⁤ and widespread media‌ repression. A ⁤panel of United Nations experts reported in June⁣ that they had documented over 200 ‌disappearances in the country since 2019.