As Tanzania moves closer to its October 2025 general election, the mood across the nation has shifted from optimism to unease. What began as a period of renewal under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country’s first female leader, is now overshadowed by accusations of repression, shrinking freedoms, and the silencing of peoples voices.
On April 9, 2025, the country was stunned when Tundu Lissu, leader of the main opposition party CHADEMA, was arrested after addressing supporters in Mbinga, southern Tanzania. Soon after, he was charged with treason one of the gravest crimes under Tanzanian law, carrying the death penalty.
Lissu’s No Reforms, No Elections campaign had been gaining traction nationwide. His call for a truly independent electoral commission struck a chord with voters frustrated by decades of dominance by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
Reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and local civil society paint a troubling picture. Opposition leaders, activists, and journalists have faced arrests, intimidation, and bans on public rallies. The country’s electoral commission recently disqualified CHADEMA from participating in the upcoming elections after the party refused to sign what it called a biased code of conduct.
This move, critics say, was the final nail in the coffin of electoral credibility leaving many Tanzanians questioning whether 2025 will bring real choice or just another carefully managed victory.
While Tanzanian law allows the government to charge individuals with treason or sedition, rights groups argue these charges are being used not for justice, but for control. They warn that using the courts to silence political opponents undermines freedom of expression, association, and fair competition the pillars of any true democracy.
A re elected President Samia Suluhu Hassan would almost certainly preserve the status quo steady rule under CCM, limited opposition participation, and a public increasingly wary of speaking out, however, a contested or manipulated election could come at a high cost. Tanzania risks suctions or aid suspensions from international donors. investor confidence may contract even further, forcing journalists, youth movements, and activists into silence or exile.
Tanzania’s 2025 election is testing the limits of democracy. With opposition leaders jailed and parties barred, is the promise of reform slipping away?
