With just weeks to go before Tanzania’s October 29 general election, serious doubts are mounting about whether the polls will be free or fair. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a damning report accusing President Samia Suluhu’s government of silencing opposition voices through arrests, abductions, media blackouts, and voter suppression.
According to HRW, activists, journalists, lawyers, clergy, and politicians describe a climate of fear where critics are attacked, abducted, or banned from political life. Among the most shocking cases is that of Mpaluka “Mdude” Nyagali, an opposition organiser abducted from his home in May and still missing. In another case, a government critic was beaten unconscious, only to face another attempt on his life while in hospital.
Opposition parties have been hit hardest. CHADEMA leader Tundu Lissu faces treason charges, his party has been barred from fielding candidates, and another opposition hopeful, Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, was disqualified by the electoral commission. Critics say the commission, controlled by presidential appointees, has become a tool to sideline competition and cement ruling-party dominance.
The crackdown has also reached the pulpit and the press. Priests and bishops calling for reforms have faced violent attacks, church closures, and deregistrations. Journalists and media houses operate under suffocating restrictions, with newspapers suspended, websites blocked, and platforms like X and Telegram shut down. HRW reports that over 80,000 online outlets have been silenced in the past year alone.
On Zanzibar, opposition supporters say local authorities are denying thousands of voters the identity cards they need to register. Without these IDs, many will simply not be able to cast their votes. The African Union, UN experts, and the EU have all voiced alarm, warning that the elections risk becoming a one-party affair.
Despite international pressure and promises of reform, President Samia’s government has yet to take meaningful steps to restore confidence. Unless there’s a sudden shift, Tanzania’s October polls could be remembered not as a celebration of democracy, but as another chapter in its erosion.
