A shadow has been cast over the legitimacy of the recent vote in Tanzania. The African Union (AU) observer mission has issued a scathing report.
The continental body declared on Wednesday that the elections, which were marred by violence, failed to meet international democratic standards.
The Day the Vote Went Wrong
The AU mission documented numerous irregularities, painting a picture of an election deeply compromised:
- Ballot Manipulation: Monitors witnessed voters being given multiple ballot papers. They also saw clear instances of ballot box stuffing.
- Exclusionary Tactics: Several members of the AU monitoring team were abruptly removed from polling stations before the critical vote-counting process could conclude.
- Repression: Restrictions were placed on media coverage leading up to the election. Furthermore, civil-rights groups were obstructed from conducting voter education activities.
- Digital Silence: A nationwide shutdown of the internet on election day and immediately after severely compromised the transparency of the entire poll.
Despite the mounting evidence and opposition outrage, the Tanzanian government insists the election was fair and transparent. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the disputed October 29 vote.
Violence and the Call for Reform
President Hassan’s contested victory immediately triggered deadly protests across the country. Opponents widely accused the government of massive electoral fraud. The demonstrations were further fueled by the deliberate exclusion of the President’s main political challengers.
The main opposition party, Chadema, which was barred from competing, claims it has recorded hundreds of deaths resulting from the security crackdown.
President Hassan, who was sworn in on Monday, acknowledged that fatalities occurred. However, she dismissed the opposition’s death count as hugely exaggerated.
The AU mission stopped short of directly addressing the high death toll but stated it “regrets the loss of lives.” It noted that the political environment significantly deteriorated over the course of election day. Consequently, the continental body has called for urgent constitutional and electoral reforms in Tanzania.
The release of the AU’s damning official report came just days after its Commission chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, had publicly congratulated President Hassan on her victory a clear illustration of the mixed diplomatic signals surrounding the crisis.
Diplomatic Move: Iran Frees French Citizens Held on Espionage Charges
