Tanzania election failed to comply with democratic standards: African Union

"The AU's election monitoring arm which sent a team of 72 observers to Tanzania and Zanzibar for the October 29 election on Wednesday pointed to ballot stuffing, the government-imposed internet blackout, allegations of excessive military force, and politically-motivated abductions as compromising election integrity. The election did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, the mission's report concluded, adding that the environment was not conducive to peaceful conduct and acceptance of electoral outcomes."

"Protesters poured into the streets of Dar es Salaam and other cities following the election, where they faced police violence, clouds of tear gas and limited internet access. The country's main opposition party, Chadema, has since claimed hundreds of people were killed, a figure the government has denied. Videos reviewed by Al Jazeera show dozens of bodies, including of people shot in the head, protesters with bloodied faces, and security forces firing guns in the streets."

"The AU's mission urged Tanzanian authorities to exercise restraint and pursue thorough investigations into violence against protesters. Tanzania should prioritise electoral and political reforms to address the root causes of its democratic and electoral challenges witnessed ahead of, during, and after the 2025 General Elections, the report said. The AU report came amid another rare rebuke from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) earlier this week, which detailed violence, censorship and general intimidation of the public and opposition"

The African Union monitoring mission reported ballot stuffing, a government-imposed internet blackout, allegations of excessive military force, and politically motivated abductions that compromised the October 29 election. The mission concluded the vote did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and other international democratic standards, and that the environment was not conducive to peaceful conduct or acceptance of outcomes. Protesters in Dar es Salaam and other cities encountered police violence, tear gas, and restricted internet access. Opposition party Chadema claimed hundreds killed; the government denied the figure. The AU urged restraint, investigations, and priority electoral and political reforms, while SADC issued a similar rebuke.

Read at www.aljazeera.com