Aisha Machano, a senior publicity secretary for Tanzania’s opposition party Chadema, was abducted, severely beaten, and left injured in a forest by unidentified assailants. This act of violence against opposing members is not an outlier. It highlights the reality of the influence that the leading political party, CCM, Party of the Revolution, has on Tanzania. Tanzania must ensure and foster a safe political environment to continue to resemble a democracy.
According to Reuters, the police immediately began investigating and “[requested] the public to be calm… and [that they would] take legal actions according to available evidence.” In addition to this brutal death, police arrested and held more than 500 Chadema leaders and supporters during a banned youth meeting. Furthermore, in September 2024, Ali Mohamed Kibao, a member of the secretariat of the main opposition Chadema party, body was found beaten and his face disfigured by acid. In response, Freeman Aikaeli Mbowe, the chairman of Chadema, stated that “we cannot allow our people to continue disappearing or being killed like this.” Human rights campaigners believe the government is purposely going against opponents due to local elections in November and the national election in 2025.
The CCM party is not new to interfering with elections and has introduced many laws taking away rights. According to Nicodemus Minde, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, elections in 2020 took place amid intimidation, censorship, and overt violence against the opposition, disregarding democratic norms that ensure civil rights, political freedoms, and participation. This is evidence that the CCM was determined to win at all costs. The CCM rejected the Catholic Church and hundreds of other human rights organizations to observe the elections. There must be a separate entity that administers and confirms the election for a legitimate government. By barring this from happening, they are delegitimizing themselves.
Chadema is the largest opposition party to the CCM. The CCM has been in power since Tanzania gained independence in 1961. Although Tanzania has multiple parties, Tanzania seems to be a one-party state, and the previous 2020 election and the presidency of Magufuli revealed the potential dangers in Tanzania’s governance. According to Human Rights Watch, the government has enforced restrictive laws targeting organizations that criticize the government and advocate for LGBTQ rights. Additionally, it has made it difficult to challenge laws or policies that violate the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
As local government elections come up, as well as the national election in 2025, political violence is apparent. Protesting against your government should not be a fear, and there should be no repercussions for doing so unless you are harming individuals or property. Tanzanians must speak up to protect their future and the potentiality of living in a state without many freedoms. Respected officials can hold the government accountable. In addition, the CCM party members must understand the implications of oppressing the political opposition. If long-term power and rule are what CCM wants, they should work hard to understand what the Tanzanian people need rather than using oppression techniques to keep power. This will lead to violence and the deterioration of Tanzanian institutions. The CCM should listen to these protests and make the necessary changes to ensure the CCM party is democratic and protects the human rights that Tanzanians deserve.
The arresting and brutal attacks against opposing party members and leaders have no place in a democracy. Winning at all costs violates these principles. As part of being in a democracy, opposing parties must be able to accept the opposition. If they can not take the competition, fear losing power, and retaliate, it turns into a dangerous environment of violence and destruction—which is what we see in Tanzania. Addressing the political violence and oppression will increase the freedoms, quality of life in Tanzania, and trust in institutions.
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