Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, has been disqualified from participating in the upcoming elections, just days after its leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason. The announcement was made Saturday by a senior official from the Independent National Elections Commission (INEC).
Ramadhani Kailima, director of elections at the commission, said the party failed to meet a key requirement—signing a code of conduct document that was due on Saturday. As a result, CHADEMA is now barred from taking part in the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for October.
“Any party that did not sign the code of conduct will not participate in the general election,” Kailima said, adding that the restriction would also apply to “all by-elections until 2030.”
The move comes amid heightened political tension in the country. CHADEMA’s leader, Tundu Lissu—a former presidential candidate and vocal critic of the ruling party—was charged with treason on Thursday. Authorities allege that Lissu sought to disrupt the upcoming vote.
The disqualification of CHADEMA is expected to fuel growing concerns over President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration and its human rights record as she seeks re-election.
Rights groups and opposition figures have accused Hassan’s government of tightening its grip on dissent, citing a troubling pattern of unexplained abductions and politically motivated killings. The government has denied these allegations and stated that it has launched investigations into the reported abductions.
As the October elections approach, the exclusion of one of Tanzania’s most influential opposition parties marks a pivotal moment in the country’s democratic landscape.
