Tanzania's Sham General Elections 2025 Begin Amid Heavy Security And Protests

Polling stations in Tanzania opened in the morning of October 29, 2025, for registered voters to cast their ballots in the country's sham general elections, amidst heavy security and protests. That was reported by some African media.

According to the reports, police and military troops have been deployed in massive numbers everywhere in the vast country to prevent any protests against the government on the election day. In the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, police and military troops in full military gear reportedly patrolled the city's streets in armored vehicles and even tanks.

Tanzania's sham General Elections 2025 begin amid heavy security and protests

However, despite the presence of heavily armed security forces countrywide, protests erupted on the election day, in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Dodoma, Mbeya, and Musoma, among many other cities and towns in the East African country. The protests resulted in chaotic elections and violent bloody clashes between security forces and protesters. So far, over 30 people are said to have perished in the protests.

Tanzania's sham General Elections 2025 begin amid heavy security and protests

Reportedly, the protesters are accusing the incumbent president of clamping down on opposition politicians and government critics in order to retain power. Due to the protests that are still ongoing, the police imposed curfew in Dar es Salaam between 18.00 hours - 06.00 hours.

Tanzania's General Elections 2025 that entail a presidential election, and parliamentary elections, are the most controversial general elections in Tanzania since the country adopted multipartyism in 1992, with the presidential nominees of the main opposition party CHADEMA and the second largest opposition party ACT-Wazalendo, Tundu Lissu and Luhaga Mpina respectively, barred from the presidential race. Tundu Lissu is currently on trial facing treason charges that are believed by many in Tanzania and beyond to be politically motivated. His party CHADEMA is barred from the elections and any subsequent elections until 2030.

With her main rivals barred from the presidential election, the incumbent authoritarian female president is said to be challenged only by some 16 presidential nominees belonging to some very small political parties. These fringe contenders are very unlikely capable of defeating her in the race. As such, electoral victory for her is said to be almost guaranteed. This predetermined outcome of the presidential poll is said to be agreed by many local people who have dubbed the presidential election a coronation and not a contest. They reportedly go even further, observing that the incumbent president is running against herself implying that there are no significant rivals challenging her.

In a more critical way, some African political analysts and some senior politicians belonging to the ruling party CCM but no longer support the party because of its current authoritarian inclination, have reportedly observed that Tanzania's General Elections 2025 are sham elections. They elaborated saying that, the ruling party was using the general elections to legitimize authoritarian rule, and that, as such, the elections are nothing but a rubber stamp hence mere formality.

As regards the way the sham elections went, reports suggest that turnout in the elections was very low. That is because a significant percentage of eligible voters that support the banned CHADEMA party, and probably ACT-Wazalendo party whose presidential nominee is barred from running, may have abstained from voting. Also, some eligible voters who may have wished to vote, could not do so because they were afraid of getting out of their houses on the election day due to presence of heavily armed security forces in their communities.

Given the above circumstances, results from the general elections would not give a credible picture of what the electorate in Tanzania wants. Besides, there are reports that some ballot boxes were destroyed during the ongoing protests as protesters set fire police stations and polling stations. If these reports are correct as they seem to be, any victory in the elections would not be legitimate. A contender in a contest can not, directly or indirectly, choose the voters who will cast ballots, and the other contenders, in the contest. When that happens, percentage of the vote that is won becomes unrealistic or even meaningless.

Overall, there is now strong evidence that suggests that Tanzania General Elections 2025 were neither free nor fair. This view is supported firmly by some local and international organizations including the European Union, among others.

International media outlets and observers are said to have been refused entry into Tanzania to cover the elections, and that internet access is limited with some websites blocked.

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