Dar es Salaam – Tanzania has plunged into a “serious political crisis” following the disputed 2025 General Election, opposition party ACT Wazalendo told Commonwealth Secretary-General Special Envoy, Lazarus Chakwera during high-level talks in Dar es Salaam.
In a strongly worded statement delivered on Friday, April 10, 2026, the party accused the government of undermining democracy and manipulating the electoral process, warning that the country’s political future is at risk.
“The 2025 General Election was not a free process through which citizens could determine their future, but rather a manipulated exercise driven by force, deception, and state apparatus,” the statement said.
ACT Wazalendo said the October 29 vote marked a dangerous turning point, alleging systematic interference by state institutions and a collapse of electoral integrity.
Chakwera, who arrived in Tanzania on April 8, is meeting key stakeholders following concerns raised by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). The visit comes after Tanzanian authorities pledged cooperation and openness to international engagement.
Leading the opposition delegation was ACT Wazalendo party leader, Dorothy Semu, alongside senior leaders including Ismail Jussa, Isihaka Mchinjita, and Mwanaisha Mndeme.
The party outlined what it described as widespread irregularities, including the disqualification of its presidential candidate and hundreds of parliamentary and councillorship candidates.
“A significant number of our parliamentary candidates in Mainland Tanzania (67 candidates, equivalent to 31.7%) and councillorship candidates (447 candidates, equivalent to 22.3%) were disqualified, undermining fair political competition,” the statement said.
ACT Wazalendo also cast doubt on official voter turnout figures, arguing they did not reflect realities on the ground, and accused election officials of manipulating results.
“These developments clearly demonstrate a lack of genuine political will among those in power to sustain a multiparty system,” the statement said.
Beyond the vote itself, the opposition raised alarm over what it described as a wave of human rights abuses linked to the election period, including arrests, violence, and civilian deaths.
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“Serious violations included assaults on our members, arbitrary arrests, fabricated charges such as treason and armed robbery, and killings of individuals defending their votes,” the party stated.
It further warned of shrinking civic space, saying media, civil society, and religious institutions are facing growing pressure, while citizens risk intimidation for dissent.
ACT Wazalendo is now calling for urgent reforms, including the release of political prisoners, independent investigations into election-related violence, and constitutional changes to guarantee an independent electoral commission.
“Tanzania is facing a profound political legitimacy crisis,” the statement concluded, cautioning that failure to act could deepen instability and erode public trust even further.
