KISUMU, Kenya, Oct 30 – A prominent Kisumu-based lawyer and former East Africa Law Society president James Aggrey Mwamu has called for urgent electoral reforms in Tanzania, saying the country stands at a “critical democratic crossroads.”
In a press statement on Thursday, Mwamu said Tanzania’s current electoral framework undermines democratic accountability and limits citizens’ right to political participation.
“Tanzania must open up its political space and strengthen its electoral institutions,” Mwamu said.
“Without meaningful reform, the promise of democracy in the region will remain unfulfilled.”
Mwamu, who once chaired the East Africa Law Society, recalled a 2013 constitutional conference in Mombasa where Tanzania’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) admitted that results from its 2010 presidential election had never been officially certified.
He described the revelation as “deeply troubling,” noting that Tanzanian law still provides no legal mechanism for challenging election results.
The Kisumu lawyer also cited the long-standing ban on independent candidates in Tanzania as another obstacle to political inclusivity.
He referenced the landmark case of Reverend Christopher Mtikila, who successfully challenged the ban at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, though the ruling has yet to be fully implemented.
Mwamu compared Tanzania’s current situation to Kenya’s own struggle for electoral reform in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“Kenya learned, through painful experience, that genuine democracy requires credible institutions and open competition,” he said. “Tanzania can draw from that lesson.”
Mwamu urged Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to prioritize constitutional and electoral changes that would restore public confidence in the system.
He added that regional cooperation and the strengthening of legal frameworks across East Africa are essential for lasting peace and development.
“Strong democracies make for a stronger East Africa,” Mwamu said.
Yesterday, Tanzania held general elections in which more than 37 million citizens were eligible to vote, including for the president, parliament and local councils.
The sitting president, Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), who assumed office in 2021, was seeking her first full term but faced a field devoid of major opposition candidates after key challengers were disqualified or jailed.
The polls were marred by significant unrest, including protests in Dar es Salaam, curfews, internet shutdowns, and reports of voter apathy.