When Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in March 2021 following the sudden death of President John Magufuli, many Tanzanians breathed a sigh of relief.
The country’s first female president—nicknamed “Mama Samia”—promised reconciliation, openness, and reform.
Her calm demeanor and talk of democracy brought hope after Magufuli’s years of heavy-handed rule.
But as Tanzania headed into the October 29, 2025, elections, that promise has crumbled.
What began as a pledge of reform has hardened into an authoritarian grip that rivals her predecessor’s. Freedom House rated Tanzania “not free” in 2024, and the rights landscape has only darkened since.
Human Rights Watch reported over 100 abductions of activists and opposition figures, while Amnesty International condemned what it called a “systematic crackdown” on dissent.
Repression has crept into every corner of Tanzanian life.
Investigative journalist Mdude Nyangali disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
In the north, six small-scale miners were shot dead during a police operation.
Maasai communities were once again forcibly evicted from ancestral lands in Loliondo, their protests silenced with tear gas and bullets.
New media laws now strangle press freedom. Independent outlets face shutdowns for “unpatriotic coverage,” while journalists risk jail for questioning government policies.
Even social media users have been arrested for “insulting the presidency.”
The opposition has fared no better. The main opposition party, Chadema, was barred from contesting elections until 2030.
Its firebrand leader Tundu Lissu was rearrested on trumped-up “treason” charges.
ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina was disqualified on the eve of the vote, leaving Suluhu facing a ballot filled with unknown, handpicked candidates.
Election day itself resembled a military operation rather than a democratic exercise. With nationwide internet blackouts and reports of ballot stuffing, turnout barely scraped 50%.
Riots broke out in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza; security forces opened fire, killing at least six and injuring dozens.
Now, Suluhu has imposed curfews, internet shutdowns, and troop deployments across major cities.
Once celebrated as a unifying figure, “Mama Samia” has become a symbol of betrayal—a leader who traded her reformist promise for absolute control.
By Kenyans