Tanzania votes amid crackdown and opposition arrests

Polling stations opened across Tanzania on Wednesday for a national election overshadowed by concerns from human rights groups and the detention of opposition figures.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan is seeking a second term under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has governed since independence in 1961. Observers say the vote will test Tanzania’s commitment to democracy and political freedoms.

“I call on ZEC to ensure justice and fairness in everything they do, as citizens are waiting for fairness,” said election observer Maryman Salum Suleiman.

The election takes place under mounting tension. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu of CHADEMA is imprisoned on treason charges after calling for electoral reforms, while another leading opposition candidate has been barred from running.

Amnesty International reports a climate of fear, citing verified cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings that, it says, undermine the credibility of the polls.

Hassan, who completed the term of her late predecessor John Pombe Magufuli, now seeks her first full mandate. Sixteen smaller-party candidates are also contesting.

Tanzania counts over 37 million registered voters, a 26% rise since 2020, though analysts warn turnout may remain low amid widespread expectations of a Hassan victory.