A Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission has delivered a damning assessment of Tanzania’s 2025 general election, warning that intimidation, arrests and an internet shutdown prevented citizens from freely exercising their democratic rights.
In a rare and unusually forthright preliminary report released on 3 November, the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) said the poll fell short of the requirements set by the bloc’s own principles for democratic elections.
The verdict contrasts sharply with congratulatory messages from some African leaders including President Emmerson Mnangagwa who praised President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election despite widespread reports of violence and repression.
Led by former Malawian Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, the SEOM deployed 80 observers across 27 regions and documented a climate of fear.
The mission cited harassment of its own monitors including an incident in Tanga where security forces seized passports, interrogated observers and forced them to delete photographs.
Although voting remained largely calm in many areas, the mission recorded gunfire by police, low voter turnout and an internet blackout that severely hindered election monitoring.
It said the arrests of opposition figures including opposition leader Tundu Lissu who faces treason charges and the disqualification of candidates such as ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina created a tense and intimidating atmosphere that undermined multi-party competition.
“These actions remove legitimate competition, discourage public participation and limit voters’ ability to express their democratic will,” the report said.
Observers also criticised the dominance of the ruling party in state media and noted widespread self-censorship among private outlets.
Social media restrictions heavily curtailed free expression while constitutional barriers preventing courts from hearing presidential election petitions were labelled inconsistent with electoral justice.
The mission called for sweeping constitutional reforms including provisions for independent candidates and stronger measures to promote gender equality in politics.
Despite the blistering findings, the reaction from African capitals has been muted.
Mnangagwa lauded Suluhu’s visionary leadership in a congratulatory message on 2 November with no reference to the violence or arrests.
He did not attend her inauguration travelling instead to Qatar for a UN conference.
The African Union expressed regret over reported deaths but avoided criticising the electoral process.
The European Union was more direct describing the election as deeply concerning given allegations of killings, abductions and internet restrictions.
The SEOM’s blunt tone mirrors its assessment of Zimbabwe’s 2023 election where it questioned the credibility of Mnangagwa’s victory a rare departure from what critics say has been a trend of SADC endorsing flawed polls.
Tanzania’s electoral commission declared Suluhu the winner with 98% of the vote on an 87% turnout figures widely mocked by opposition supporters.
It remains unclear whether SADC leaders will take further action once the final report is submitted.
For now, the bloc’s monitors have left little doubt about their assessment in much of Tanzania, they said, voters were prevented from expressing their democratic will.
