The main opposition party in Tanzania, CHADEMA, risks exclusion from the upcoming general elections in October after its leader was recently charged with treason.
On Saturday, the party boycotted a key event organized for political parties to sign an electoral code of ethics, a mandatory requirement for participation in the polls, according to an AP report. Ramadhani Kailima, a director at the Independent National Electoral Commission, told reporters that CHADEMA’s absence carries legal consequences.
“Any party that did not come today will not be given the opportunity tomorrow,” Kailima stated. “Therefore, if there is a party that has not submitted its declaration, it will not participate in this year’s 2025 elections or in any other by-election that may arise within the five-year period.”
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READ ALSO: Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu charged with treason following rally arrest
CHADEMA’s leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason last Thursday following his arrest during a rally where he demanded electoral reforms ahead of elections.
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The opposition figure was forcibly taken by police late Wednesday after addressing supporters in Mbinga, a southern town located over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
The October elections will determine Tanzania’s next president and members of parliament.
The opposition has long pressed for changes to ensure a free and fair vote. In a statement released Saturday, CHADEMA reiterated its refusal to take part in elections that lack “fundamental electoral reforms.”
Human rights advocates have accused the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of cracking down on opposition voices, a claim the government continues to deny.
Lissu, who narrowly survived an assassination attempt in 2017 after being shot 16 times, remains a vocal critic of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has held power since Tanzania’s independence in 1961.
