Tanzania's Opposition Candidate Barred from Running a Second Time
Opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina has been banned from running in next month's election for the second time.
The electoral commission disqualified Mpina, the candidate for the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), the country's second opposition party. The move overturned a court ruling that had reinstated his candidacy after an earlier disqualification, with the commission citing an objection by Attorney General Hamza Saidi Johari. ACT-Wazalendo denounced the decision as politically motivated, vowing to challenge it.
This leaves President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling CCM facing little competition. Hassan came to power without being directly elected after taking over from John Magufuli when he died in March 2021, and she has taken no chances in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary votes. The main opposition party, Chadema, was already barred in April, and its candidate, Tundu Lissu, remains jailed on treason charges. Rights groups have warned of a government crackdown on opposition voices.
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Tanzania:
Tanzania Opposition Presidential Candidate Banned From Running, Again
RFI, 15 September 2025
Tanzanian opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina has been banned from running in next month's election for the second time, reversing a decision made last week approving… Read more »
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Tanzania:
INEC Annuls ACT-Wazalendo Presidential Nomination
Daily News, 15 September 2025
THE National Electoral Commission (INEC) has annulled the nomination of ACT-Wazalendo's presidential candidate, Luhaga Mpina, following the acceptance of an objection filed by the… Read more »
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Tanzania:
Mpina Optimistic About Campaign Push
Daily News, 14 September 2025
ACT-Wazalendo presidential candidate, Mr Luhaga Mpina and his running mate, Ms Fatma Habibu Ferej were officially cleared yesterday by the Independent National Electoral Commission… Read more »
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Tanzania:
Opposition Party Takes Leader's Poll Disqualification to High Court
Daily News, 28 August 2025
THE High Court of Tanzania, Dodoma Zone, today, August 28, 2025, begins hearing a case challenging the disqualification of ACT-Wazalendo's presidential candidate, Luhaga Mpina. The… Read more »
InFocus
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A key Tanzanian political party has taken the barring of their leader to the High Court. ACT-Wazalendo is arguing that the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deny their candidate the opportunity to contest is unlawful and violates democratic rights. This came after the country's main opposition CHADEMA party was
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The Tanzanian government has dismissed allegations of human rights violations raised by the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network. The government said that its citizens have the freedom to express themselves and share their opinions, even against the government.
Dr Abdallah Possi, Tanzania's Ambassador to the UN, made the statement during the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in
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Tanzania's main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, has appeared in court on charges of treason for which, if convicted, he could face the death penalty. The Chadema party leader was arrested on April 9 after his rallying call for "no reforms, no election", telling supporters that the general election due in October should
Read more »
ACT-Wazalendo presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina.
