In a noteworthy development, a substantial number of supporters affiliated with Tanzania’s primary opposition party, Chadema, convened in a demonstration in Dar es Salaam. This marks a significant departure from the political rally ban instituted by the late President John Magufuli in 2015. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who assumed office in 2021, lifted the ban last year as part of reconciliation efforts.
Chadema’s demonstration underscores a call for constitutional and electoral reforms preceding the 2024 elections. The party advocates for constitutional amendments allowing the legal contestation of presidential election results and seeks modifications to electoral laws to prevent the president from appointing members of the electoral commission.
Beyond electoral concerns, the opposition party urges the government to address the elevated cost of living in Tanzania. Demonstrators, displaying placards and using whistles, peacefully marched through Dar es Salaam under heightened police presence.
During Magufuli’s tenure, opposition gatherings were met with police interference, often leading to violent disruptions, and opposition leaders faced arrests. Prominent Chadema figures, Mbowe and deputy Tundu Lissu, were subjected to attacks by unidentified assailants, both attributing the assaults to political motivations. The resumption of opposition protests signals a renewed push for political openness and reform in Tanzania, aligning with the evolving political landscape under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration.
(AP)
