Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan received official approval on Wednesday from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to run in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 29. She is seeking her first full term after taking office in 2021 following the death of former president John Magufuli.
Her candidacy, submitted earlier in the day alongside her running mate Emmanuel Nchimbi, was confirmed without surprise by the electoral commission. In a message posted on social media platform X, the president praised the « unity and strength » of her ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), urging supporters to campaign « in peace and national cohesion. »
Yet behind this expected endorsement, the electoral landscape appears tightly controlled. Several rival candidacies have been rejected. Among them, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, widely considered the country’s third major political force, was disqualified for failing to meet legal requirements.
The main opposition party, Chadema, was unable to participate at all. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges, was prevented from submitting his candidacy.
This political configuration gives Samia Suluhu Hassan a significant advantage in turning her transitional presidency into a full-term mandate. The first woman to lead Tanzania, she rose to power in March 2021 after serving as Vice President under Magufuli since 2015.
Nominated in January as CCM’s official candidate, she will campaign from August 28 to October 28, an election season taking place in a political climate where true competition appears increasingly limited.