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2026 journal of african elections v25n2 eisa transparent democratic governance in africa

Understanding 2025 Elections in Tanzania: A Solid Mark in the Shift from Competitive to Hegemonic Authoritarianism

This paper argues that the 2025 elections in Tanzania were both qualitatively and quantitatively distinct from all previous elections held since the reintroduction of the multiparty system in 1992. While the six preceding elections –1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 – were regarded as unfree and unfair, none were characterised by the scale of overt violence observed in 2025. The 2025 elections thus represent a significant escalation in state repression, signalling a clear shift to a new and more entrenched phase of authoritarianism. Tanzania’s electoral regime appears to have transitioned from a competitive authoritarian system to a hegemonic authoritarian one. In this context, the paper argues that the intensified repression of 2025 marks the consolidation of that transformation. To understand the dynamics of the 2025 elections, it is necessary to trace developments back to previous elections, particularly those of 2015, which revealed important underlying trends that have culminated in the unprecedented levels of repression and violence. The analysis divides Tanzania’s multiparty electoral history into two periods, 1995–2015 and 2020–2025. Drawing on theories of elections under authoritarian contexts, the paper analyses these periods to explain the evolution and conduct of the 2025 general elections.

2026 journal of african elections v25n1 front cover eisa.pdf transparent democratic governance in africa

Vote Buying in Africa: Comparisons Regarding Law and Practice

Vote buying remains a key challenge to democratic elections across Africa, as it does elsewhere. This article provides an overview of the concept of vote buying and its relationship to other phenomena, such as clientelism and campaign promises. The article also reviews the legislative provisions against vote buying across sub-Saharan Africa, noting that vote buying is effectively prohibited everywhere on the continent and is often connected with serious criminal sanctions. Furthermore, the article shows that vote buying remains a common problem in elections across many African countries. As illustrations, it explores the experiences of recent elections in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Sanctions are seldom imposed, which means the deterrent effect of any sanctions provided for in law is minimised. Popular attitudes toward vote buying, as reported by various surveys, are studied. The results reveal a complex set of views, which may vary significantly across countries and within one country over time. The article concludes that the long-term solution to this challenge appears to be economic development, which would effectively remove the demand side of vote buying; however, there is no single way to eliminate vote buying in the short term.

journal of african elections vol20 number 2 transparent democratic governance in africa

The 2020 Chadema Special Seats Dispute in Tanzania: Does the National Electoral Commission Comply with the Law

This article focuses on the CHADEMA dispute regarding the selection of its 19 women to special parliamentary seats after the completion of the 2020 general elections in Tanzania. It argues that the dispute is caused by the failure of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to provide political parties with a uniform and transparent modality for the selection of women to special seats against the requirement of Article 81 of the 1977 Constitution. The NEC’s failure has led to modalities of implementing women’s special seats that are incompatible with the international standards governing ‘Temporary Special Measures’ (TSM). This has led to conflict, the marginalisation and discrimination of women in special seats, ridicule of the special seats system, and a slow transition of women from special to constituency seats. The article provides suggestions on how the special seats system could be reviewed and repositioned to achieve its intended objectives.

journal of african elections vol20 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Social Media Penetration, Party Politics and Elections in Tanzania: Emerging Practices and Challenges

Tanzania has witnessed an increased use of social media in political party
campaigning over the last decade. Use of social media was nonetheless
curtailed by a changing techno-political framework regulated by acts relating
to cybersecurity and statistics. This study was guided by two hypotheses:
firstly, that despite restrictive cybersecurity laws, social media in recent years
has been effectively institutionalised as a new civic cyberspace for political
party campaigns during elections. Secondly, increasing use of social media
in elections has had a transformative effect on the way party structure was
organised to conduct political mobilisation, promote party ideology and both
inter- and intra-party interaction, and for fundraising. The study interviewed
party members and leaders from five political parties which participated in
the 2015 and 2020 general elections and concluded that social media had a
transformative effect on core political party campaign activities.

Do Elections Matter in Zanzibar?

Do multiparty elections facilitate or hinder the process of democratic consolidation in Zanzibar? Since Tanzania’s return to a multiparty system in 1992 three rounds of general elections have been held in Zanzibar, all of them marred by gross irregularities, fraud, violence, and insecurity. All three elections were also followed by a political stalemate, with a […]

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