The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM), led by former Malawian Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, has released a preliminary statement on Tanzania’s 2025 general election.
The report, issued on Wednesday, said the process, that gave President Samia Suluhu Hassan landslide victory was marred by voter intimidation, restricted media access, and a significant suppression of democratic will.
The SEOM mission, deployed to monitor the election across Tanzania’s mainland and Zanzibar, observed a historically low voter turnout of approximately 40%. This figure, a stark drop from the 50.72% recorded in 2020, is attributed to widespread irregularities.
Observers documented instances of arbitrary arrests of opposition figures, including the detention of Chadema leader Tundu Lissu on treason charges, and the disqualification of major opposition parties like ACT-Wazalendo.
“These actions created an environment of fear, deterring citizens from exercising their democratic rights,” said part of the report.
Another concern highlighted is the media blackout that accompanied the election. Internet services were severed in the days leading up to and following the vote, a move widely condemned by human rights groups. “This digital censorship, coupled with restrictions on journalists, prevented real-time reporting and limited public access to information, further eroding transparency,” said the report.
The SEOM team cited inadequate access to vote-counting processes, with some polling stations reporting irregularities that could not be independently verified.
The statement concludes that, in most areas, voters could not freely express their democratic will, falling short of SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
This assessment aligns with international outcry following the election, which saw allegations of 500 deaths during post-election protests in cities like Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, according to opposition claims.
The government, however, denies excessive force, offering no official casualty figures.
President Suluhu, who secured 97.9% of the vote according to the National Electoral Commission, was sworn in today at a heavily fortified military base in Dodoma, shielded from public view.
Her inauguration comes amid allegations of rigging and a security crackdown that has drawn criticism from the United Nations and regional leaders.
The SEOM report urges Tanzania to channel concerns through legal procedures and avoid violence, while calling for electoral law reforms.
SADC’s history of issuing critical reports without enforcing action, as seen in Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections, raises doubts about the statement’s impact. Nonetheless, it invites further international scrutiny at a time when Tanzania’s democratic credentials are under a global microscope.
Email:homelandnewspaper@gmail.com
