CHADEMA rejects Samia Suluhu's election victory

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), the leading opposition party in Tanzania, has flatly and openly contested President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election victory, calling into question the integrity of the entire electoral process.

In a fiery press statement sent to newsrooms just hours ago, CHADEMA strongly stated that the election, which saw Suluhu winning a landslide 97.66% of the vote, was fundamentally flawed and lacked transparency.

“These results have no basis in reality,” the statement reads. “The truth is that no genuine election took place in Tanzania.

President Samia Suluhu during a past event. Photo: Courtesy

Citizens did not participate in the October 29 election due to an environment that was neither free nor fair, and because of the absence of a levelled political playing field,” CHADEMA’s Secretary General, John Mnyika, declared.

The opposition party went on to accuse the National Electoral Commission of releasing "fabricated figures", claiming that the numbers were merely a reflection of “the malicious intent” to rig the election in Suluhu's favour.

CHADEMA, which had been effectively sidelined from the elections after several of its top leaders, including presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu, were barred from running, said the results did not reflect the will of the Tanzanian people.

President Samia Suluhu during a past event. Photo: Courtesy

“Chadema emphasises that the Electoral Commission has released completely fabricated figures,” the statement continued. “These numbers reflect only the malicious intent of Samia Suluhu and her party to rig the election, an act which they have successfully executed.”

Furthering their outrage, CHADEMA declared that it would not recognise Samia Suluhu as the legitimate President of Tanzania, urging the international community to reject the results.

“Chadema does not recognise Samia Suluhu Hassan as the President of the United Republic of Tanzania,” the statement asserted.

“She has not been elected by the people of Tanzania, and we advise the international community not to recognise her as the leader of Tanzania, as she lacks legitimacy, having not been elected by the citizens of Tanzania.”

CHADEMA leader Tudu Lissu during a past presser. Photo: Courtesy

As protests continue to erupt across the country, with citizens accusing the government of electoral manipulation, the international community now watches closely as the political crisis in Tanzania deepens.

With tensions rising and the opposition vowing to challenge the legitimacy of the election results, the future of Tanzania’s political landscape remains uncertain.