Amnesty International has accused Tanzanian authorities of intensifying a crackdown on dissent ahead of the country’s October 29 general elections, warning of a deliberate campaign to silence opposition voices, journalists, and civil society.
In a report released on Monday, the rights group said President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration has “entrenched fear and repression” through arbitrary arrests, assaults, and enforced disappearances. The Tanganyika Law Society reported at least 83 people missing under mysterious circumstances since August 2024.
“Authorities have turned the criminal justice system into a weapon to stifle opposition,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for East and Southern Africa. “The upcoming election is unopposed, unchecked, and unjust.”
Opposition figures have been targeted with politically motivated charges. Chadema leader Tundu Lissu was arrested on terrorism accusations, while ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina was barred from contesting the presidency. Both parties have been sidelined from the race.
Samia Hassan, who succeeded the late John Magufuli in 2021, initially promised democratic renewal. In her 2024 address to parliament, she pledged to “defend democracy and fundamental freedoms” and hold talks with opposition leaders. But human rights defenders say those commitments have evaporated amid a surge in repression.
“I don’t feel safe being a politician in Tanzania,” one dissident told Human Rights Watch. “We live under constant attack.”
