European Union slams Tanzania elections, citing fear, censorship and violence
EU officials say the polls were neither free nor fair, pointing to opposition arrests, voter intimidation and blocked observers.
Leading members of the European Union (EU) have sharply condemned Tanzania’s Wednesday elections, saying the vote took place under an atmosphere of “repression, intimidation, and fear.”
In a joint statement, MEPs David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs; Mounir Satouri, chair of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights; and Merja Kyllönen, chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Pan-African Parliament, said the elections could not be deemed free or fair.
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“As Tanzanians went to the polls, the international community watched with deep concern. What should have been a celebration of democracy, instead unfolded in an atmosphere of repression, intimidation, and fear,” the statement reads.
“These elections cannot be regarded as free and fair. The fraud did not begin at the ballot box; it has been unfolding for months.”
According to the EU leaders, the months leading up to the polls were marked by harassment and detention of opposition figures, the exclusion of opposition parties from the ballot, media censorship, and widespread restrictions on civic space.
Tundu Lissu trial
“The arrest and ongoing trial for high treason of opposition leader Tundu Lissu – a man whose only ‘crime’ was to demand free and fair elections – exemplifies the collapse of democratic values and judicial independence in Tanzania,” the EU leaders said.
“No election can be credible when the main opposition is silenced, when freedom of assembly and expression are denied, and when independent media are intimidated and censored.”
They added that reports of irregularities, obstruction of observers, and targeted violence against dissenting voices further undermined the integrity of Tanzania’s electoral process. The leaders urged democratic partners to remain steadfast in defending democracy and human rights in the country.
“Silence is not neutrality – it is complicity,” they said.
Protests broke out across Tanzania on Wednesday as opposition supporters took to the streets of Dar es Salaam and other major towns to denounce the exclusion of their leaders from the polls.
Security forces responded with tear gas and arrests outside several polling stations. Reports indicated low voter turnout, particularly in Dar es Salaam, amid fears over safety and fairness.
An internet outage was reported before authorities imposed a nationwide curfew. Civil servants and students were later instructed to work and study from home on Thursday.
Despite the curfew, unrest persisted into Thursday in several parts of the country, with police reportedly firing gunshots in Dar es Salaam to disperse protesters. Amnesty International confirmed at least two deaths linked to the demonstrations.
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