The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has declared Tanzania’s recently concluded general elections as neither free nor fair, citing widespread irregularities and restricted freedoms throughout the process.
According to the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM), the polls, held amid heavy security, failed to meet the standards outlined in the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021). The preliminary report was released in Dodoma on the same day President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in for a new term.
Former Malawi Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, who led the observer mission, stated that while voting day was largely peaceful, many Tanzanians were unable to freely exercise their democratic rights. He noted instances of intimidation of opposition leaders, limited civic space, and lack of transparency in the electoral process.
“In most areas, voters could not express their democratic will,” the SEOM report reads. It further highlighted cases where multiple stacked ballots were found inside ballot boxes during voting—raising suspicions of ballot stuffing and possible vote manipulation.
The mission also raised concerns about shrinking freedoms, noting increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and online censorship. “Some social media platforms were inaccessible, which could impact citizens’ ability to express and receive political opinions,” the report stated.
SADC deployed a team of 80 officials, including 66 observers, 13 SADC Secretariat staff, and one SEAC member. The observers were drawn from ten member states, including Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The mission also reported difficulties in engaging with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) due to delays in accreditation and introduction letters, limiting early consultations with key stakeholders.
With these findings, the SEOM concluded that Tanzania’s 2025 General Election fell short of the regional standards for free, fair, and credible elections, raising fresh concerns about the country’s democratic trajectory.
