DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania’s first female head of state, is facing mounting accusations of political repression as the country heads to the polls on Wednesday.
Once praised for her calm demeanour and initial reformist tone, Hassan is now under scrutiny for what human rights groups describe as an escalating crackdown on dissent.
Amnesty International has accused her administration of presiding over a “wave of terror” marked by “enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings” in the lead-up to the election.
The organisation warned that such actions risk rolling back Tanzania’s democratic gains and silencing opposition voices.
Hassan, 65, assumed office in March 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, under whom she had served as vice president.
Her rise to power — as a Muslim woman from Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago — was initially seen as a turning point for gender inclusion and political moderation in Tanzania.
At first, she appeared to distance herself from Magufuli’s hardline policies, lifting bans on opposition rallies and reopening shuttered media outlets. But those early reforms have since been reversed, with analysts and critics accusing her of consolidating power through fear and control.
A former advisor, who spoke anonymously to AFP for fear of reprisals, described a climate of deep mistrust within Hassan’s inner circle.
“She knew that the government she inherited was deeply against her and deeply misogynist… so she couldn’t trust anyone. There was a lot of paranoia,” they said, adding that Hassan saw firm control as essential to surviving in Tanzania’s male-dominated political hierarchy.
Her ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence in 1961, and observers say it remains tightly bound to state machinery.
Several opposition leaders, including high-profile challengers, have been arrested or disqualified from the election, prompting widespread concern over the credibility of the vote.
Among those barred are former banker Tidjane Thiam and ex-president Laurent Gbagbo’s ally Jean-Louis Billon, both of whom accused Hassan of eroding democratic institutions.
History: On January 24, 2024, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Dar es Salaam, demanding reforms to Tanzania’s electoral laws and calling for action on the high cost of living.
It marked the largest public demonstration since the lifting of the rally ban in 2023.
Ahead of planned protests on September 23 2024, CHADEMA warned the government it would hold nationwide marches in response to alleged abductions and killings of opposition figures.
The authorities declared the demonstrations illegal, and police warned of action against anyone participating.
On September 23, key opposition leaders — including CHADEMA chair Freeman Mbowe and deputy chair Tundu Lissu — were arrested in Dar es Salaam before the planned protest date.
Rights observers flagged the move as a crackdown ahead of the 2025 elections.
Meanwhile, the state has also banned youth-led marches. On August 12, a planned demonstration in Mbeya under the theme “Chukua jukumu kwa maisha yako ya baadaye” (“Take responsibility for your future”) was blocked, with police accusing the organisers of seeking to incite violence.
Born in Zanzibar on January 27, 1960, Hassan began her career as a government clerk before rising through public service and development work, including with the UN World Food Programme. She entered politics in 2000, serving as a minister in Zanzibar’s local government before winning a parliamentary seat on the mainland.
By 2015, she had become the first woman to hold the vice-presidency under Magufuli, who was known for his populist but repressive governance style.
In a 2020 speech, Hassan described her leadership philosophy simply: “I may look polite, and do not shout when speaking, but the most important thing is that everyone understands what I say — and things get done as I say.”
That soft-spoken authority, once hailed as a stabilising force, now underscores a presidency critics say has traded inclusion for control.
With the opposition fragmented and civic space shrinking, Wednesday’s election is widely expected to hand Hassan a sweeping victory — but at the cost of Tanzania’s democratic reputation.
