On October 28, Tanzanians elect their president and their deputies. Current President John Magufuli is running for another term. Since his accession to power in 2015, he has been accused of authoritarianism, but facing him leaves the opposition in scattered order.
During the vote on 28 NovemberJohn Magufulimeets 14 opposition candidates, including Tundu Lissu, his main opponent, candidate for the Chadema party. In 2017, the latter narrowly avoided an assassination attempt. After being hit by 16 bullets in his home in the capital Dodoma and after several operations and a long recovery in Belgium, he was finally able to returns to Tanzania in July last year.
System of oppression
Since the start of the election campaign in late August, Tundu Lissu has gathered many supporters at its meetings. But earlier this month, the Election Commission suspended its campaign for a week for “uplifting remarks”.
John Magufuli is accused of having created an increasingly authoritarian system of oppression since coming to power. However, the division of the opposition into the forthcoming election could favor his re-election as head of state.
In the last election five years ago, an opposition coalition achieved an unprecedented score: 40% of the vote. John Magufuli had won 58% of the vote. His party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has been in power since the country’s independence in 1961.
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