African election observers say Tanzanians were largely unable to “express their democratic will” during the October 29 presidential and parliamentary elections, citing intimidation, censorship, and the exclusion of opposition candidates.
The elections were marred by widespread unrest, with hundreds reportedly killed during protests after key opposition figures were jailed or barred from running. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in on Monday after claiming 98% of the vote, a result critics have called a “sham.”
The Southern African Development Community Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) deployed 66 observers from 10 countries, including Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Observers covered 27 of Tanzania’s 31 regions.
Richard Msowoya, head of SEOM, said their tentative conclusion was that in most areas, voters faced intimidation and could not freely cast their votes.
“The election-day quiet belied covert acts of general intimidation and oppression of the opposition,” SEOM stated.
Observers noted a strong police presence, political abductions, and heavy censorship of online platforms.
Local human rights groups, such as the Tanganyika Law Society, reported 83 abductions since Hassan took office in 2021, with 20 more in recent weeks.
Observers also described low voter turnout in many areas, contradicting the electoral commission’s claim of 87% participation.
Violence was reported in Mbeya, Dodoma, Arusha, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. Opposition representatives estimated that at least 800 people died during days of unrest.
The report also highlighted concerns about voting irregularities, including stacked ballots and perceptions that some voters may have cast multiple votes, raising questions about the transparency of the process.
SEOM and rights groups warned of covert and overt restrictions on free speech, noting that censorship and media control limited the public’s access to information during and after the elections.
“Heavy censorship of online platforms prevents citizens from reporting abuses or accessing critical information,” the observers noted.
