Tanzania heads to polls with President Samia expected to secure another term in one-sided election

Tanzanians go to the polls today in an election all but certain to extend the 64-year rule of the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the Party of the Revolution.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country's first female head of state, is widely expected to retain power in what observers describe as a contest without real competition.

Although Tanzania formally remains a multiparty democracy, CCM has governed uninterrupted since independence in 1961, outlasting most of Africa's liberation-era parties.

The country's annual per capita income, around $1,200, belies persistent inequality and growing discontent, particularly among younger voters frustrated by the erosion of civic space.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have warned of a "climate of fear" ahead of the polls.

Opposition leaders, journalists, and activists have faced harassment, arbitrary arrests, and legal restrictions.

Two of President Samia's main rivals, Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, were disqualified from the race.

Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and recently returned from exile, is now in jail on treason charges he says are politically motivated.

His deputy, John Heche, has also been detained.

Meanwhile, President Samia's campaign has emphasised "work and dignity," promising stability and incremental progress, particularly in agriculture.

Her party maintains close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and a firm grip on the state apparatus — advantages that leave little doubt about the outcome.

While CCM remains dominant, its share of the popular vote has been slowly declining.

Other Topics To Read

• Tanzania
• President Samia Suluhu Hassan
• Tundu Lissu
• Chama Cha Mapinduzi
• CCM party
• Tanzania heads to polls with President Samia expected to secure another term in one-sided election
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