Tanzania polls marked by Fear and low turnout Amid Opposition Crackdown

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania –Voter turnout remained low across Tanzania’s key urban centres on Wednesday as citizens went to the polls in an election largely devoid of opposition participation.Many polling stations in Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub, stood nearly empty shortly after opening.

The absence of major opposition figures, who were either jailed, disqualified, or barred, cast a shadow over the credibility of the vote. Security forces maintained a heavy presence, with tanks stationed in several areas following government warnings against any form of protest. Analysts suggest that the tight security, instead of inspiring confidence, created fear among voters.

“We are going to mobilise people from the streets and their homes to come and vote,” a ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) official in Temeke district told AFP, adding, “We need to rescue the situation because some are hesitating.”

Prior to the election, rights groups raised concerns about rising intimidation and violence. Amnesty International described the situation as a “wave of terror,” citing instances of torture, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings of opposition activists.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, 65, is seeking to secure a firm mandate that would reinforce her position within the ruling CCM. Her key rival, Tundu Lissu of Chadema, is currently facing treason charges that carry a possible death penalty, while Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo was disqualified on technical grounds.