Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ‘re-electability’ faces strong religious and political resistance as the spectre of violence hangs over one of the few African nations that boast of post-independence peace and stability.

President Suluhu Hassan is accused of abuse of office after she ordered arbitrary arrest and detention and opposition stalwart Tundu Lissu, who in addition is prevented from participating in the December 29, 2025 election, which has been boycotted by most political parties.

Tundu’s party, Chadema, has been barred the polls for declining to accede to a code of conduct authored by the governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) – in power for close to 65 years.

Opposition parties have over the past five years called for constitutional and electoral law reforms to level the playing field. President Suluhu Hassan responded to pressure for reforms by arresting and detaining opposition bigwigs, crackdown on journalists and opposition-leaning media houses, besides enforced disappearances.

The tyranny has not gone down with donors. The US and European Union have ben forthright with Tanzanian power barons to allow freedom of expression, electoral reforms and democracy to prevail or risk pariah status.

Against this backdrop, President Suluhu Hassan’s re-election running into headwinds as a result of arbitrary detention of main opposition leader Tundu Lissu. The slump in popularity is exacerbated by her links to former President Jakaya Kikwete and controversial businessman Rostam Aziz, accused to promoting Islamic agenda.

Kikwete and Aziz are Muslims as is the president.

The government’s decree that deregistered some evangelical Christian sects opposed to Suluhu Hassan has stoked strong anti-Muslim sentiments in Mainland Tanzania (Tanganyika), which is predominantly Christian.

Kikwete, who has become a subject of revulsion since the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s extraordinary congress that gave the nod to Suluhu Hassan’s candidature in January this year, is accused to patronising Suluhu Hassan. The former president is seen as the power behind the throne.

Kikwete has become an “enemy of the people” for barking up unpopular party, legal and constitutional decisions now blamed for contracting democratic and political space in Tanzania – particularly during the incumbent’s nomination.

“The picking of the presidential candidate by my party was fraudulent because it did not follow the laid down procedures,” said Humphrey Polepole, who resigned earlier this month as Tanzania’s ambassador to Cuba.

Polepole who served as the ruling party’s publicity and ideology secretary during late President John Pombe Magufuli reign, said, among other things, that as per regulations this year marks Magufuli’s second term, hence the presidency was supposed to be up for grabs.

“Our party’s (CCM) traditions and practices provide that after every 10 years, all party positions are open to competition – including the presidency – which has not happened this time around,” Polepole explained after announcing his resignation and starting an online campaign that supports main opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s “No reforms, no elections” campaign in July.

Suluhu Hassan’s endorsement as CCM’s presidential candidate has elicited strong opposition from within the party on account that the incumbent was supposed to test her mettle against other contestants in open nomination. That includes seeking endorsement from members in at least half of the country’s (provinces), including the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar.

Dissatisfied by what is deemed as irregularities, Dr Godfrey Malisa filed a case in High Court challenging Suluhu Hassan’s nomination, but is was quashed.

Tanzania’s judiciary is regarded as largely partisan, and decidedly pro-CCM when adjudicating in matters related to politics and state-related issues. This is because the judges are appointed by the president without independent vetting or approval by parliament, hence they cannot – as established by routine – rule against the state.

Analysts aver that Kikwete, who attended CCM extra-ordinary congress in January, advised the Suluhu Hassan who is also the party’s national chairperson to seek endorsement after sensing discontent as some members plotted to oust Suluhu Hassan.

The Tanzanian president who inherited the position from Magufuli in March 2021, has been struggling to run the government and manage the ruling party, which has ruthless power-brokers that include the one led by Kikwete and Aziz.

“We have followed all necessary party protocols as far as the incumbent’s re-election is concerned. What we did in January to endorse Samia was exactly what was done during my time and the late Magufuli’s time. Why not Samia?” Kikwete said during the launch of the ruling CCM’s General Election campaigns last week in Dar es Salaam.

In his petition, Dr Malisa contended that Suluhu Hassan’s “premature” endorsement contravened the country’s constitution, which requires that endorsement of candidates for the General Election to be done only after parliament is dissolved. Tanzanian parliament was dissolved in late June.

Kikwete and Aziz – both Muslims – who have been adversely mentioned in the death of John Pombe Magufuli – a Christian – have been attending all CCM meetings presided over by President Suluhu Hassan as principal advisors. The duo is accused of power grab and of “usurpation of presidency” soon after Magufuli’s death. Critics of Kikwete and Aziz have not provided details of how this happened.

Suluhu Hassan made history when she became the first woman president in Tanzania – by extension, East Africa.  She has sacked independent-minded members of ruling party from her cabinet on suspicion of undermining her re-election bid. Others like Vice President Philip Mpango and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa voluntarily retired from politics citing frustration.

“There are those who said that I am incapable of delivering as president but now are amazed at what has happened in the past four years,” Suluhu Hassan said during her campaign launch, at a mega church run by Evangelist Boniface Mwamposa.

She denounced those who had schemed to dethrone her and promised to continue delivering to the public by investing in social services, infrastructure and private investment for job creation.

Suluhu Hassan hails Makunduchi Constituency in Zanzibar that has less than 5,000 registered voters. She is struggling to build momentum for re-election in response to critics who accuse her of embezzlement of public funds, grand corruption in which her grubby son Abdul Hafidh Hassan is deeply implicated.

The first son has also been accused of running a gang that abducts and kills politicians who oppose the mother’s presidency especially netizens. One of the leading mega church evangelists who was also the ruling party legislator, Josephat Gwajima, publicly denounced Suluhu Hassan as the force behind the disappearances of her critics. Gwajima also accused Suluhu Hassan of sacking senior government officials who raised a finger against state-sponsored and enforced disappearances.

“Why is it that in the past three years, we have had three different TISS directors? And the strange thing is that when the director-general is dismissed the entire top brass is also dismissed,” Gwajima expressed concern during a news conference soon after Suluhu Hassan’s controversial endorsement in January.

The firebrand evangelist, who was Magufuli’s darling, said there are reports that the Tanzania Intelligence and security services sacked directors that were actually trying to dismantle the private gangs behind assassinations and disappearances, hence attracted the appointing authority’s wrath. 

In response to Gwajima’s allegations, Suluhu Hassan told one of CCM congresses that endorsed parliamentary and ward candidates in June that vetting committees should get rid of Gwajimas.

“We must stop the Gwajimisation of the party,” she said.

Immediately after her order, Gwajima’s mega church was deregistered on account of engaging in political rhetoric contrary to regulations. The Catholic Church, which has also been at odds with Samia’s administration, offered Gwajima and his followers a place to worship at Msimbazi Centre in Dar es Salaam, which was immediately cordoned off. Gwajima’s church premises in Ubungo were equally no-go zones for worshippers.

Catholics have publicly criticised Samia’s totalitarian rule are currently fasting and praying in protest. The Catholics are also unhappy with assassination attempt of Joseph Kitima, one of their most vocal clergymen in Tanzania.

Dr Kitima was attacked by unknown people at Tanzania Episcopal Conference premises in Dar es Salaam earlier this year. President Suluhu Hassan’s son, Haafidh Hassan, has been implicated in the bloody attacks, but no hard evidence has been provided to directly implicate him.

Dr Kitima spent months in hospital undergoing treatment and the Catholic Church announced severing all relations with politicians, saying when they attend sermons they will be treated like other ordinary worshippers.

Traditionally, senior public officials and politicians who attend church services are accorded VIP treatment, plus time to address congregations.

• A Tell Media report / By Finnegan Simbeye in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania