The African Union (AU) has strongly condemned Tanzania’s recent general elections, citing widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing, internet blackouts, politically motivated abductions, and excessive military force that undermined democratic standards. The AU’s observer mission reported that the elections failed to meet regional and international principles for free and fair polls, warning that the political environment was “not conducive to peaceful conduct and acceptance of electoral outcomes.”
Protests erupted across the country following the October 29 election, with opposition groups alleging mass killings, claims that the government has denied. According to reports, dozens of bodies were seen in video footage shared online, showing people with gunshot wounds and security forces firing live ammunition at protesters. The AU has since called for an independent investigation into the violence and urged Tanzanian authorities to prioritise electoral and political reforms.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has echoed the AU’s concerns, describing the situation as “deeply troubling” and urging President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration to restore public trust through transparent governance.
Speaking to VOC News, Executive Director of the Democracy Development Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Convener of the Africa Policy Circle (APC), Dr. Paul Kariuki, expressed disappointment at Tanzania’s democratic backsliding.
“It is one of those sad moments, if one would put it that way, in terms of our electoral democracy on our continent,” said Kariuki. “To see how it has turned out in Tanzania, a democracy that has been known to be so strong and very stable for more than 60 years, and we see now that it can become as fragile as any other African country. All the sacrifices made by their founding father, Julius Nyerere, and other leaders to build a valued democracy can go down the drain in one election.”
Kariuki added that the elections offer a critical lesson for African democracies: “There is no democracy that is strong unless it is defended by its citizens. When political power delegitimizes the participation of its people in such an important process as an election, it paints a very bad picture for the future of our continent.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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