Tanzania’s upcoming October 29 general election faces serious credibility concerns, with Amnesty International warning that the polls “risk becoming a procedural affair devoid of legitimacy” amid escalating repression of the opposition and media. In a new briefing released this week, Amnesty accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government of creating a climate of fear, using arbitrary arrests, politically motivated charges, and enforced disappearances to weaken dissent. Suluhu’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in power since independence is widely expected to dominate the polls, as opposition leaders face mounting legal and political barriers.
Luhaga Mpina, a key challenger, has been disqualified for the second time, while Tundu Lissu, leader of the main opposition party Chadema, is currently on trial for treason. In April, police arrested dozens of his supporters outside a Dar es Salaam court many later reported being beaten and abandoned in remote areas. The rights group also documented 83 disappearances of opposition members and activists, including the abduction of three Chadema officials by suspected police officers. Amnesty says political rallies are being disrupted nationwide, and freedom of movement severely restricted, stifling normal political activity.
Suluhu, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, initially earned praise for easing political tensions. But Amnesty now says her administration has regressed into old patterns of repression, echoing Magufuli’s authoritarian rule. The October election will determine Tanzania’s president, national assembly members, and ward councillors, but analysts warn that without urgent reforms, the process could further entrench one party dominance.
