In brief
In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan is set for her first presidential election with no serious opposition candidates, leading many to see the event as more of a coronation than a competition. While she initially promised reforms, political repression has increased under her leadership, raising concerns about the future of democracy in the country. Opposition parties have been largely sidelined, and many citizens express skepticism about the integrity of the electoral process.
With no heavyweight opposition candidates cleared to compete in Wednesday's election, many Tanzanians feel the vote is less like a contest and more like a coronation for President Samia Suluhu Hassan, as she faces her first presidential election.
The 65-year-old became the East African nation's first female head of state after the death in 2021 of sitting President John Magufuli. He was admired on the one hand for his no-nonsense drive to stamp out corruption but criticized on the other for his authoritarian clampdown on dissent and controversial attitude towards the Covid pandemic.
President Samia, who had been vice-president, seemed like a breath of fresh air - and with her warmer and friendlier style, she initiated reforms that seemed to represent a radical departure from her predecessor's policies.
Her four Rs policy - reconciliation, resilience, reform and rebuilding - reopened Tanzania to foreign investors, restored donor relations and mollified the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
But over the last two years or so, the political space has drastically shrunk - and the targeting of government critics and opposition voices is said to be more ruthless now than it ever was under Magufuli, with regular abductions and killings now reported.
Simultaneously, opposition parties are increasingly crack down upon. While the electoral commission has cleared 17 presidential candidates to stand this time, the main opposition party, Chadema, has been barred from participating, with its leader, Tundu Lissu, currently on trial for treason.
This leaves smaller opposition parties like Chaumma and CUF in the race, but in reality, there is no chance of them stopping Samia from winning her first personal mandate.
Concerns about electoral credibility and the ruling party's control loom large, while many Tanzanians express despondence over the integrity of the election process. Reports from political analysts suggest that President Samia, now addressing dissent and criticism with a more authoritarian tone, could face severe consequences if voter turnout remains low and protests arise amidst growing discontent.
As Tanzanian citizens gear up for the elections, the atmosphere is tumultuous, marked by a palpable sense of skepticism about the future of democracy in the country.
