Constitutionalism on trial: Electoral governance and political violence in Tanzania

Abstract

Tanzania has long stood out as a pocket of calm and relative stability in East Africa\'s stormy politics. However, since 2021, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, that image has shattered amid growing chaos. This article zeros in on the explosive 2025 general elections in Tanzania a turning point marked with widespread election irregularities polls, deadly crackdowns on demonstrators, sweeping arrests, mysterious vanishings, and bold power grabs laid bare a slide toward autocracy. Pulling from a broad mix of voices, including insights from the Journal of Democracy, reports by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations and eyewitnesses’ stories buzzing on X, this Article argues that President Suluhu’s early reforms were mere autocratic reform washing. They were designed to mask the entrenchment of authoritarian control within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. The analysis explores socioeconomic undercurrents fueling unrest, the erosion of judicial independence, parallels with global autocratic trends in Africa and beyond, and potential pathways for accountability through regional and international mechanisms. The analysis digs into the economic and social sparks igniting the fury, like jobless youth and land grabs hitting communities hard, the crumbling trust in courts, echoes of strongman tactics seen in Africa and beyond and real ways forward, from regional watchdogs to international courts. With risks of ripples hitting neighbors like Kenya and Uganda think cross-border tensions or refugee flows this deep dive. This article spotlights how shaky new democracies really are and why read more...