Tanzania’s main opposition party prohibits from being in elections

Tanzania’s main opposition party is forbidden to participate in this year’s elections, days after his leader was accused of betrayal.

Ramadhani Kailima, director of elections at the Independent National Election Commission, said Chadema did not sign a code of Code of Conduct, which is due on Saturday, which means that the party was disqualified by the October elections.

Last week Chadma’s leader Lisu was Arrested and charged with betrayal Following a rally in South Tanzania, to which he called for election reforms.

The latest development will strengthen the hopes of the CCM ruling party to maintain power after almost six decades of service.

“Any country that has not signed the Code of Conduct will not participate in the general elections,” said Mr. Kylima on Saturday, adding that Chadema would also be banned from participating in all elections by 2030.

Earlier on Saturday, Chadema had said he would not participate in a Code of Conduct Signing Ceremony as part of his pursuit of reform vote.

The country should vote in parliamentary and presidential elections, where Lisu was expected to challenge the current President Suluhu Hasan himself.

When Hassan first came to power in 2021, after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, she was praised for the conversion of some of his more authentic trends.

Since then, campaigns and opposition parties have accused the Hassan government of strengthening the repression of political opponents, citing arrests and abductions of opposition members. The government has denied the allegations and has begun an investigation into the abductions.

One of the longest parties in Africa, CCM – or Chama Cha Mapinduzi – has run Tanzania since 1977.

According to the slogan “without reforms, there are no elections,” Lisu claims that there is no possibility for free and fair elections without changes in how the Tanzania elections are held.

Lisu said that the composition of the election committee should change and should not include people directly appointed by Hassan.

Authorities have accused Lisu of striving to break the election and encourage rebellion.

He was detained in custody and his case for state treason postponed until April 24. His lawyer Rugemeleza Nhala told Reuters that the allegations were politically motivated and added: “You cannot separate these accusations from politics.”

The leader of the opposition has been arrested repeatedly and in 2017 has experienced an attempt at murder, in which his vehicle has been shot 16 times.

He then went into exile, returning briefly in 2020 to run against Magufuli during the election this year. He left after announcing the results, complaining about suspected irregularities.

He then returned again in 2023, after the changes introduced by herself, which her government stated that they were aimed at admitting a greater freedom of the opposition.