JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) says its delegation to Tanzania was unable to observe the country’s recent general election after what it described as a “communication breakdown.”
In a statement issued on Friday, the ANC said the delegation, led by Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane, travelled to Tanzania at the invitation of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which it described as its “sister party.”
The visit was meant to continue a long-standing tradition of solidarity between the two liberation movements, allowing the South African delegation to witness the electoral process firsthand.
However, according to ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu, the team was unable to observe any official polling or vote-counting activities once voting began.
“For reasons that are currently unknown, a communication breakdown occurred. As a result, the delegation was unable to observe any aspect of the elections,” Bhengu said.
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The party said Mokonyane and her team did attend several pre-election events, including campaign rallies, but were not granted access to polling stations or tallying centres on election day.
Despite the setback, the ANC expressed confidence in regional observer missions accredited to monitor the elections, saying it trusted them to deliver a full assessment of the poll’s credibility.
“The ANC places its confidence in regional bodies mandated to observe the overall integrity of the process and looks forward to the comprehensive assessments of accredited international observer missions,” the statement read.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the October election by Tanzania’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), reportedly securing 97.66 per cent of the vote — a margin that cements CCM’s decades-long dominance in Tanzanian politics.
According to official tallies, President Suluhu received 31,913,866 votes. Opposition groups have disputed the results, and reports indicate sporadic protests in some regions, prompting heavy security deployment in major cities such as Dar es Salaam and Arusha.
The ANC reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining close political and diplomatic ties with Tanzania and the CCM, describing their relationship as central to Africa’s democratic and developmental cooperation.
“The African National Congress values its relationship with the people of Tanzania and remains committed to fostering constructive collaboration across the continent,” the statement added.
Mokonyane has since returned to South Africa and is expected to brief ANC leadership on the details of the visit.
