The African Union’s observer mission has declared that Tanzania’s October 29 general election failed to meet international democratic standards, citing widespread irregularities and political exclusion.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the overwhelming victor with 98 percent of the vote, but opposition groups denounced the results as fraudulent. Protests erupted across the country after several main challengers were barred from contesting, leaving the political field severely restricted.
In its preliminary report, the AU mission said the election “did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.”
Observers documented ballot stuffing at several polling stations and reported that some voters were issued multiple ballots. The mission also noted that party agents were absent in many locations, and some observers were expelled during the vote count.
The Tanzanian government has defended the election as fair and transparent, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated.
Opposition party CHADEMA, excluded from the race, said it had recorded hundreds of deaths during the ensuing protests. Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the Tanganyika Law Society, estimated the toll exceeded 1,000, citing reports from local contacts. He said independent verification was nearly impossible as authorities allegedly intimidated those sharing information.
President Hassan, sworn in for a new term on Monday, acknowledged that lives were lost but rejected claims of large-scale killings as exaggerated.
The AU mission urged Tanzania to embark on sweeping political and electoral reforms to restore public trust and prevent future unrest.
It warned that without addressing systemic flaws, the country risked deepening its democratic crisis and alienating citizens already disillusioned by a flawed vote.