Human rights activists dismiss Tanzania election as ‘a coronation, not a contest’

Human rights activists drawn from across East Africa have condemned what they describe as a “crackdown disguised as democracy” in Tanzania, ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for Wednesday.

In a joint statement issued in Nairobi on Tuesday, the regional activists said the electoral process in Tanzania cannot be considered free or fair, citing what they termed as widespread repression, harassment of opposition figures, and restrictions on media and civil liberties.

“Contrary to rumours circulating, no elections are happening in Tanzania tomorrow,” the activists said in a joint statement.

“There are no free and fair elections happening in Tanzania. Samia Suluhu is preparing for her coronation, as her only opposition is her very own shadow.”

They alleged that opposition politicians, particularly members of the CHADEMA party, have been detained or barred from contesting, and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acted with bias to silence dissenting voices.

They further accused Tanzanian authorities of overseeing “a silent epidemic of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture, rape, extrajudicial killings, and judicial harassment,” mainly targeting critics of the regime and human rights defenders.

“Over the past three weeks, more than 55 people have been forcibly disappeared, tortured, murdered, and held incommunicado,” they noted in the statement said, referencing recent findings by Amnesty International that repression in Tanzania has intensified ahead of the polls.

The groups said religious leaders have also been targeted for speaking out against the government, citing the deregistration of the Ufufuo na Uzima Church led by Bishop Josephat Gwajima, and the abductions and threats faced by several clergy.

They added that international media houses have been denied access to Tanzania, while local journalists and online content creators face arrests, censorship, and surveillance. “Media and digital censorship remain pervasive,” the activists said.

On election observation, the statement noted that most credible missions, including from Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Ireland, have withdrawn, while the European Union and United Nations Development Programme are not participating.

“The African Union’s decision to send observers despite the ongoing human rights crisis shows a willful blindness,” the statement read.

“Those who choose to recognize the Tanzanian elections are turning a blind eye to the realities of human rights violations.”

The activists urged citizens across the region to stand in solidarity with Tanzanians, warning that the erosion of democracy in one country threatens justice and freedom across the East African Community.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the groups stated. “As despots regroup to oppress citizens, we, as the citizens, are similarly regrouping to reclaim our countries and our inherent freedoms. Aluta continua.”