Voting has begun in Tanzania for presidential and parliamentary elections and many critics say they are being held without real competition. According to the Election Commission, more than 37 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballot from 7am to 4pm local time, with results expected within three days.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, 65, is widely expected to secure another term after the two strongest opposition parties blocked the vote. Chadema leader Tundu Lissu is facing trial for treason, he has rejected the charges. His party was disqualified in April because officials refused to sign the code of conduct.
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The second-largest opposition group, ACT Wazalendo, also pulled out its presidential candidate Luhaga Mapina after the Attorney General raised objections. Only candidates from small parties are left to contest against Hasan.
Speaking before the vote, a senior CCM official said the ruling party was “confident that people will choose stability and progress”. But opposition supporters say the system is designed to crush dissent. A Chadema member told reporters in Dar es Salaam: “How can you call this an election when the main challengers are not allowed to contest?”
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Hassan came to office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli. He was initially praised for releasing some political prisoners and bringing greater openness to the media. “We are committed to human rights. We have nothing to hide,” he said after ordering an investigation into reports of kidnappings last year. No findings have been published.
Human Rights Watch says authorities have “repressed political opposition and critics of the ruling party and suppressed the media”. ACLED, a US-based conflict research group, describes CCM as determined to remain “the last hegemonic liberation party in Southern Africa”.
The Tanganyika Law Society has reported at least 83 kidnappings since Hassan took power, with another 20 cases alleged in recent weeks. The government denies any involvement.
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Despite the tensions, Tanzania has seen very few street protests. The economy grew 5.5 percent last year, helped by tourism, agriculture and mining. Hassan has promised major road and rail projects and a plan to provide universal health insurance if re-elected.
Today, attention turns to polling stations across the country and the semiautonomous island of Zanzibar, where voters are also electing local leaders to the 400-seat parliament.
For many ordinary Tanzanians, the election seems less about political rivalry and more about the future of a country that has prided itself on peace. As one voter in Arusha said: “We like peace in Tanzania. We can only hope that this election will maintain it.”
