By Tendai Mbanje and Tito Magoti
Reports from polling stations this morning paint a bleak picture of civic abandonment. Between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., some polling station saw no voters at all. A few women arrived between 8:45 and 10 a.m. These polling stations were not staffed by independent electoral officials, but by armed soldiers, an unmistakable symbol of coercion rather than civic participation. Most international election observers had already left the country by yesterday, citing intimidation and threats to their safety, with the EU conducting a ‘diplomatic watch.’ Meanwhile, digital repression intensified: access to platforms like X, TikTok and YouTube has been restricted since yesterday, further isolating citizens and silencing dissent. Huge military presence in major cities has created a climate of fear and terror, further diluting the whole meaning of democratic elections.
Today, October 29, 2025, Tanzania holds its general elections under a cloud of repression, manipulation, and fear. What should be a celebration of democratic choice has instead become a grim ritual of authoritarian continuity. The African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) must resist the temptation to rubber-stamp this fraudulent process. Endorsing these elections would not only betray the Tanzanian people but also undermine the credibility of Africa’s democratic institutions and violate the AU’s own human rights commitments.
This year’s election marks the first presidential run for Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, who assumed office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli. While her candidacy should be a milestone for gender representation in African politics, it is overshadowed by the absence of genuine political pluralism. Sixteen candidates may appear on the ballot, but Hassan is the only nationally recognized contender. The main opposition parties, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) and ACT-Wazalendo (ACT), have been barred from participating. While CHADEMA leader, Tundu Lissu, is jailed for what is believed to be framed treason charges, and the entire party and leadership placed under ‘political lockdown,’ the ACT candidate, Luhaga Mpina, has been disqualified from the race. This, altogether, undermines political pluralism and their right to political participation as enshrined in international human rights law.
What is unfolding in Tanzania today can hardly be described as a democratic exercise. Instead of offering citizens a meaningful choice, the 2025 elections are tightly orchestrated, with military personnel stationed at every polling site. This spectacle appears designed to legitimize a predetermined outcome. With opposition leaders silenced and the ruling party’s dominance unchallenged, the process resembles a coronation rather than a contest. The conspicuous presence of armed soldiers and the near-total absence of voters only deepen the perception that this is not democracy in action but autocratic consolidation.
The right to vote is a cornerstone of democratic governance and a fundamental human right. Yet today’s voter apathy is not born of indifference; it is the product of systemic disenfranchisement. Tanzanians are not disengaged; they are disempowered. They know that their votes will not change the outcome. The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has engineered a system where elections exist, but choice does not. This violates not only the spirit of democracy but also the right of citizens to freely participate in public affairs.
Since independence in 1961, CCM has ruled Tanzania without interruption. Originally a merger of liberation movements, it became the sole legal party from 1977 to 1992. Even after the reintroduction of multiparty politics, CCM has maintained its grip through patronage, propaganda, and repression. In 2015, Chadema’s Edward Lowassa won nearly 40% of the vote- a rare show of opposition strength. By 2020, that figure had dropped to 13%, amid credible allegations of fraud and intimidation. The 2025 election continues this trajectory, with the opposition effectively neutralized and CCM consolidating power through coercive means.
When President Hassan took office, she was hailed as a reformer. She lifted bans on opposition rallies and promised a more inclusive political climate. But these gestures have proven superficial. In the lead-up to the 2025 vote, human rights organizations have documented a disturbing pattern of state-sponsored repression. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued scathing reports accusing the government of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings. These are not isolated incidents, they are systematic violations of the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
The AU and RECs have a legal and moral obligation to uphold democratic norms and human rights across the continent. Their silence or worse, their endorsement would send a dangerous message: that elections without competition, transparency, or accountability are acceptable. This would not only embolden authoritarian regimes but also erode public trust in regional institutions and betray the AU’s African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
In past elections, Zanzibar has witnessed violence, voter intimidation, and contested results. The 2025 elections are no exception, with reports of increased military presence and restrictions on opposition activities. These developments further erode confidence in the fairness of the vote and violate the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
The AU’s Charter commits member states to uphold democratic principles, ensure free and fair elections, and protect human rights. Tanzania’s 2025 elections violate every one of these commitments. Endorsing them would be a betrayal of the Charter and of the African people. Perhaps most troubling is the muted response from the international community. Tanzania’s strategic importance in East Africa as a regional trade hub and a key player in peacekeeping has often shielded it from external criticism. However, continued silence risks emboldening authoritarian tendencies and setting a dangerous precedent for other nations in the region.
If the AU and RECs endorse these elections, they will not only legitimize a fraudulent process but also undermine their own credibility. They must instead call for an independent investigation into electoral abuses, demand the release of political prisoners, and support civil society organizations working to restore democratic norms. They must speak out against the use of state violence, the suppression of dissent, and the erosion of civil liberties.
The Tanzanian people deserve better. They deserve elections that reflect their will, not the will of a ruling elite. They deserve leaders who are accountable, not untouchable. They deserve institutions that protect their rights, not suppress them. The AU and RECs must stand with the people of Tanzania not with the regime that seeks to silence them. They must refuse to endorse these elections and instead demand reforms that pave the way for genuine democracy. History will judge them not by their words, but by their actions. Let those actions be guided by principle, not diplomacy. Let them be rooted in the universal values of human dignity, freedom, and justice.
