Tanzania’s leading opposition party, CHADEMA , has been officially barred from participating in the upcoming general elections, following its refusal to sign a mandatory electoral code of conduct. The decision, confirmed by the Independent National Elections Commission, disqualifies the party from presidential and parliamentary races through 2030.
Election Director Ramadhani Kailima stated that non-compliance with the code meant automatic disqualification. CHADEMA had boycotted the signing ceremony, citing an unfair electoral process and demanding urgent reforms.
The move comes as the party’s leader, Tundu Lissu, faces treason charges for allegedly inciting rebellion to disrupt the electoral process. Arrested after addressing a public rally, Lissu appeared defiant in court, accompanied by his legal team and fellow politicians. Authorities refused to let him enter a plea, and he now faces the possibility of a death sentence.
Human rights advocates have condemned the arrest and CHADEMA’s disqualification as politically motivated, pointing to what they describe as the ruling party’s ongoing crackdown on dissent. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government, however, insists that the country upholds democratic principles and has denied targeting opposition voices.
Lissu previously survived a 2017 assassination attempt and has remained a vocal critic of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has held power since Tanzania’s independence.
As the October elections draw closer, CHADEMA’s exclusion marks a significant blow to opposition prospects and raises questions about the credibility of the vote.
