Tanzanian opposition politician Freeman Mbowe (left) flashes a victory sign at a public rally in January 2023.
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Tanzania’s six-year ban on political rallies shows how the president’s power can override the constitution.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
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The Tanzanian president’s reform drive has endeared her to the populace but will also embolden opposition to her political ambitions.
Supporters of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema at a rally in Mwanza.
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After years of censorship, opposition parties have to – all at once – rejoin public debates, reorganise and remotivate demoralised supporters.
Tanzania’s President Samia Hassan holds up her COVID-19 vaccination card in July 2021.
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President Samia Hassan has set Tanzania on a change of course – time will tell if the pattern holds and addresses the country’s challenges.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Photo by Hannah McKay - Pool.
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Hassan is winning party loyalists, and has launched a diplomatic charm offensive ahead of 2025 polls.
President John Magufuli of Tanzania passed away at the age of 61. His government had played down the existence of COVID-19.
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The president leaves behind a legacy of extremes, on the one hand, a leader who wanted to create a better country for his people, and on the other, a ruthless authoritarian.
John Magufuli (centre) waves as he arrives to give a speech at a campaign rally in August 2020.
President John Magufuli won a second term by a contested landslide and looks set to take even greater control of Tanzania’s democratic space.
An elderly voter casts her ballot at Wazo Hill polling station in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, on October 28, 2020.
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Tanzania’s October poll shows that elections are purely performative for governments which do not adhere to the basic tenets of democracy.
Supporters attend a Chama Cha Mapinduzi rally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 2015 when John Magufuli was first elected.
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Magufuli took a populist approach in trying to woo voters away from an invigorated opposition, and when that didn’t work he reported to oppressive tactics.
President John Magufuli has closed down all the reliable means to evaluate allegations of foul play.
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As key opposition members lose seats in their strongholds, it is clear that Tanzania’s ruling party is set to establish a super-majority that will institute a deeper authoritarian agenda.
Julius Nyerere’s ideas and legacy remain objects of debate in contemporary politics, especially in an election year.
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For all of the shortcomings of Nyerere’s regime, his ideas continue to inspire Tanzanians fighting for a more equal and democratic future, over 20 years after his death.
Tundu Lissu reacts to supporters as he returns home after three years in exile.
A united opposition could create enough momentum to unseat incumbent John Magufuli from power.