from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania Bureau
DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – THE legitimacy of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has taken perhaps its heaviest blow after the Southern African Development Community (SADC) denounced the conduct of the recent elections in Tanzania.
Rarely does the regional bloc condemn member countries, especially on fraudulent elections, hence this is an unprecedented move by the 16-member organisation.
As such, Tanzania is now mentioned in the same breath as Zimbabwe, denounced as one of most tyrannical countries in the region.
In 2023, the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (EOM), led by Zambia, criticised the conduct of elections in neighbouring Zimbabwe, which retained the ruling party, ZANU-PF, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa in power.
In Tanzania, polls were held last Wednesday, with Hassan emerging victorious amid widespread negative issues.
On Monday, the SADC EOM, led by Richard Msowoya, former Speaker of Parliament of Malawi, released a damning report on the elections.
It cited intimidation and uneven political environment, abductions and arrests of opposition activists and leaders, restrictions on electoral justice (The Tanzania constitution does not allow any appeal), compromised independence of the electoral commission, internet shutdown and information blackout and harassment of observers.
The SADC EOM also decried media censorship and lack of freedom of expression, low voter turnout and suspicious voting practices, gender and youth marginalisation, exclusion of civil society and voter education groups, security overreach, heavy police presence, constitutional limitations on independent candidates and the absence of domestic observers.
SADC SEOM reported it could not issue its statement within the usual two days due to security and communication challenges, underscoring the tense and repressive environment.
“In conclusion, the SEOM determined that voters could not freely express their democratic will and that the 2025 Tanzania elections fell short of SADC’s Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.”
Heads of state largely snubbed the swearing-in of Hassan.
Daniel Chapo (Mozambique), Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia) attended.
The swearing-in, held behind closed doors at a military base in Dodoma, with no public attendance allowed, has elicited comments locally and in the continent.
Hichilema has come under criticism at home.
“No self-respecting leader with good judgment can attend such an inauguration ceremony of a president-elect whose election is associated with a blood bath,” said Nasson Msoni, President of the opposition All Peoples Congress.
Hichilema justified his attendance.
“Zambia’s participation reflects our continued commitment to strengthening regional and economic cooperation,” he said.
“This was not a ceremony of national unity. It was a display of control after a fraudulent and bloody election that cost hundreds of lives,” said Prof. Adriano Nuvunga, academic and social justice advocate.
The opposition, mostly banned from the elections, reports that over 2 000 people had been killed during protests following the polls.
In the neighbouring country, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda Chief of Defence Forces, said, “Mama Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, is fast becoming one of my favorite leaders in Africa. No nonsense and extremely decisive!”
On Monday, NetBlocks said live metrics show widespread restrictions to multiple social media and messaging platforms as Tanzania came back online after a five-day internet shutdown.
“The incident continues to limit election transparency and the free flow of information,” it stated.
– CAJ News