{"id":124230,"date":"2025-11-06T07:12:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T07:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/11\/06\/au-declares-tanzanias-election-flawed-and-undemocratic\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T07:12:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T07:12:24","slug":"au-declares-tanzanias-election-flawed-and-undemocratic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/au-declares-tanzanias-election-flawed-and-undemocratic\/","title":{"rendered":"AU declares Tanzania\u2019s election flawed and undemocratic"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 6 \u2014 The African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission has concluded that Tanzania\u2019s October 2025 General Election failed to comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and international standards for democratic elections, citing legal, institutional, and procedural shortcomings that undermined the integrity of the process.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a Preliminary Statement released on Wednesday, the AU Mission\u2014led by former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi\u2014said the electoral environment \u201cbefore, during, and after\u201d the vote was not conducive to peaceful and credible elections.<\/p>\n

The Mission called on Tanzania to undertake urgent constitutional and political reforms to restore public trust and strengthen democratic accountability.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this preliminary stage, the Mission concludes that the 2025 Tanzania General Elections did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe preparedness of the electoral commission and other institutions was inadequate to address the challenges that compromised the integrity of the elections.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AU deployed 72 observers across 17 regions of Tanzania and Zanzibar to monitor the October 29 polls, which were marred by opposition boycotts, candidate disqualifications, violence, and a six-day nationwide internet blackout.<\/p>\n

\u2018Restricted political environment\u2019<\/h2>\n

According to the Mission, the elections were held in a \u201crestricted political environment,\u201d with the main opposition party, CHADEMA, boycotting the vote following the arrest of its chairperson, Tundu Lissu, on treason charges, and the disqualification of ACT-Wazalendo\u2019s presidential candidate on technical grounds.<\/p>\n

These developments, the AU observed, \u201cdiminished the competitiveness\u201d of the elections and violated the principles of free political participation enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).<\/p>\n

While acknowledging some progress\u2014such as improved voter registration and greater inclusion of women and youth\u2014the Mission said these gains were overshadowed by legal barriers, unequal media access, and the partisan use of state resources by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.<\/p>\n

Observers also reported low voter turnout, ballot stuffing, and restrictions on election monitors at several polling stations. Protests erupted in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Mbeya, Dodoma, and Kagera, forcing some AU observers to suspend operations.<\/p>\n

A nationwide internet blackout, imposed midway through election day, further limited transparency and prevented citizens and monitors from reporting irregularities in real time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile voting earlier in the day proceeded slowly but efficiently at most polling stations visited, some observers noted that stations handling presidential ballots lacked party agents or observers,\u201d the Mission stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt some of these stations, voters were allowed to cast ballots without identity checks, with some receiving multiple ballots and voting in full view of observers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Excessive force <\/h2>\n

The AU also condemned the excessive use of force by police and military units in dispersing post-election protests, which reportedly led to several deaths and property destruction.<\/p>\n

The Mission urged the government to address structural weaknesses in its electoral laws, including: the presidential appointment of electoral commissioners without independent oversight; the constitutional prohibition on challenging presidential results in court; the ban on independent candidates; and unequal media and resource access during campaigns.<\/p>\n

It further called for a broad-based national dialogue to foster inclusive politics, citizen participation, and credible elections. The AU\u2019s final report, containing detailed findings and recommendations, will be released within two months.<\/p>\n

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, declared the winner with 98 percent of the vote, dismissed international criticism as \u201cexternal interference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking at a closed-door inauguration ceremony held under heavy security at a military base in Dodoma, Suluhu praised the National Electoral Commission (NEC) for conducting what she termed a \u201cpeaceful, fair, and efficient\u201d election.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thank the electoral commission for coordinating and supervising the entire process with unquestionable efficiency,\u201d she said on November 3.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this election, we had 17 candidates from various parties. We competed on merit, and all of us showed that politics is not war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defiant Suluhu <\/h2>\n

Suluhu accused some foreign observers of overstepping their mandate, echoing the words of the late President Benjamin Mkapa:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thank all communities that brought election observers. We have received their opinions with great respect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, as President Mkapa said, when they praise us, we receive that praise humbly. But when they give us instructions on what to do\u2014we reject those instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that her government would \u201cconsider constructive advice\u201d while upholding sovereignty and peace as \u201cnon-negotiable national principles.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Commonwealth also described the polls as deeply flawed, citing the detention of opposition figures, suppression of media freedoms, and misuse of state resources.<\/p>\n

SADC Chief Observer Richard Msowoya, former Speaker of Malawi\u2019s Parliament, said constitutional clauses preventing judicial review of presidential results were a \u201cserious obstacle to accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVoters could not freely express their democratic will,\u201d Msowoya said, urging Tanzania to implement far-reaching constitutional and electoral reforms.<\/p>\n

Despite mounting criticism, President Suluhu urged Tanzanians to \u201cmove past the election\u201d and focus on rebuilding the nation.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 6 \u2014 The African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission has concluded that Tanzania\u2019s October 2025 General Election failed to comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and international standards for democratic elections, citing legal, institutional, and procedural shortcomings that undermined the integrity of the process. In a Preliminary Statement released on Wednesday, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124230\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}