Campaigning starts today ahead of October general elections in Tanzania. President John Magafuli who was elected in 2015 is seeking re-election
Tanzania Election: Disunited Opposition is leverage to Ruling Party
Campaigning starts today ahead of October general elections in Tanzania. President John Magafuli who was elected in 2015 is seeking re-election. The ruling party has been in power since independence from Britain.
President Magafuli is slugging it out with 14 challengers, a situation that is likely to give victory to the ruling party because of “a disunited opposition”, says a political analyst, John Tills.
The ruling CCM party has dominated Tanzania’s politics for decades. A united opposition during the last election gave the party the strongest challenge yet.
But the crowded race this time could give the president greater advantage.
Magufuli was widely praised as a reformist when he took office five years ago but has since been accused of stifling dissent.
In June he controversially declared that the coronavirus had been defeated in Tanzania through the power of prayer.
Most Tanzanians have since resumed normal business in spite of concerns raised by critics at home and abroad.
This year’s election is expected to be the most challenging yet as the government continues to clamp down on dissent.
John Pombe Magufuli (born 29 October 1959) is a Tanzanian politician and the fifth President of Tanzania, in office since 2015. He is also the chairman of the Southern African Development Community.
First elected as a Member of Parliament in 1995, he served in the Cabinet of Tanzaniaas Deputy Minister of Works from 1995 to 2000, Minister of Works from 2000 to 2006, Minister of Lands and Human Settlement from 2006 to 2008