The African Union (AU) observer mission has declared that Tanzania’s 2025 general election failed to meet international democratic standards, citing widespread irregularities and restrictions during the vote that has since sparked deadly protests across the country.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was announced the landslide winner of the October 29 election, securing 98% of the vote, but opposition groups have accused the government of massive electoral fraud and systematic exclusion of major challengers, including the main opposition party, CHADEMA, which was barred from participating.
In its preliminary report released Wednesday, the AU mission stated that “the 2025 Tanzania General Elections did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.”
Observers reportedly witnessed ballot stuffing at several polling stations, with some voters being issued multiple ballots, and noted the absence of opposition party agents during voting and counting. In some cases, AU monitors were asked to leave polling stations before the tallying process concluded.
The Tanzanian government has maintained that the elections were free, fair, and transparent, dismissing the AU’s assessment and opposition allegations as politically motivated.
Meanwhile, the fallout has turned violent. CHADEMA claims to have documented hundreds of deaths resulting from post-election protests. Boniface Mwabukusi, president of the Tanganyika Law Society, estimated that over 1,000 people may have died, though he acknowledged that verifying the figure has been difficult due to government intimidation and information suppression.
President Hassan, who was sworn in for a new term on Monday, admitted there had been casualties but dismissed the opposition’s figures as grossly exaggerated.
The AU mission urged Tanzania to undertake urgent electoral and political reforms to prevent further unrest and to “address the root causes of the democratic and electoral challenges witnessed before, during, and after the elections.”
