President Samia Suluhu Hassan gave Tanzanians greater political freedom when she took over the presidency following the 2021 death of her predecessor John Magufuli. Opposition parties were allowed to organise rallies and criticise the government without fear of repercussions, and some banned newspapers were allowed to resume publication.
But a series of abductions and arrests of oppositionists – and the murder of an opposition official – have raised questions about the future of democracy in Tanzania.
In August 2024 the leader and deputy leader of the opposition Chadema party – Freeman Mbowe and Tundu Lissu – were arrested. This followed the brutal killing of opposition official Ali Kibao and the disappearance of several other critics of the government.
In addition, some 520 people were arrested in an attempt to prevent Chadema holding a youth rally and parade. Journalists covering the event were also detained. According to the police, they had banned the rally as it was intended to cause violence.
In December 2024 the youth leader of the opposition ACT Wazalendo Party Abdul Nondo was abducted in Dar Es Salaam, handcuffed, badly beaten and threatened with death before being abandoned at a beach. Nondo required hospital treatment for his injuries.
In January 2025 prominent Tanzanian activist in exile Maria Sarungi Tsehai – who has a social media following of 1.3 million people – was abducted by armed men in Nairobi and held for several hours. Following her release Tsehai claimed that her abductors were Tanzanian security agents.
In April this year Lissu – who is now the Chadema leader – told gatherings across the country that the presidential and parliamentary elections due in October this year would be rigged in favour of the ruling CCM Party – which has won every election since independence from Britain in 1961. Lissu called for the creation of a truly independent national electoral commission unconnected to the government, failing which he called on citizens to rebel and disrupt the elections. He was then arrested and charged with treason – which is a capital offence.
Following Lissu’s arrest, the director of elections at the Independent National Elections Commission barred Chadema from contesting the forthcoming elections on the grounds that the party had not signed the appropriate code of conduct. Chadema had declined to take part in a signing ceremony as part of its drive for voting reform. These include the demand that the electoral commission should not include people directly appointed by President Hassan.
Last month the Catholic priest and outspoken critic of the government Father Charles Kitima was murderously attacked with a blunt instrument and hospitalised. Leaders of Christian churches in Tanzania have become increasingly vocal on justice and governance issues, and the assault on Fr Kitima came only days after the Catholic Church called on the government to implement electoral reform.
It remains to be seen whether free and fair elections will be held as planned in October.