Tanzanians vote in national elections, with opposition groups alleging widespread rigging, sparking concerns over the legitimacy of the polls.
Tanzanians have been participating in local government elections, which are largely considered a critical evaluation of the country’s democratic institutions prior to next year’s presidential election.
Approximately 31 million individuals were eligible to vote for over 80,000 street and village leaders who hold significant influence in the country.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, a longstanding dominant force for decades, is encountering strong opposition from parties that abstained from the 2019 election.
She assured that the election would be free and fair, yet there were reports of irregularities and instances of repression leading up to the polls.
The primary opposition party, Chadema, alleged electoral fraud by authorities following the disqualification of thousands of its candidates from participating in the election.
A party spokesperson reported that there were “widespread irregularities,” such as ballot box stuffing.
On Wednesday, Chadema reported that three of its members were killed on the night before the election and that party leader Freeman Mbowe was temporarily arrested during a rally over the weekend.
Hassan assumed office after the unexpected death of her authoritarian predecessor, John Magufuli, in 2021. Initially, she was celebrated for relaxing the restrictions he had placed on the opposition and media.
However, rights organizations and Western governments have since criticized what they perceive as a resurgence of repression leading up to Wednesday’s election.
