Tanzania Enabling Environment Baseline Snapshot

After President John Magufuli’s death in 2021, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan assumed office amid hopes for democratic renewal. Civil society cautiously welcomed her “Four Rs” philosophy – Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms, and Rebuilding – as a potential roadmap for restoring civic trust and political openness. At first, this rhetoric suggested a shift away from authoritarian practices, raising expectations of genuine reform. However, these promises have largely gone unfulfilled.

The political landscape has become increasingly restrictive, particularly in the lead-up to the October 2025 general elections. Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and politically motivated prosecutions persist. In 2025, political party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA)’s National Chairperson faced treason charges, drawing international concern during a tense election year. Recent reports indicate that several opposition candidates have been barred from contesting the presidency, raising serious concerns about political pluralism and democratic participation. These developments heighten the risks for civil society actors engaged in governance and electoral monitoring, and underscore the need for closer scrutiny of civic space in the coming months.

Foreign activists seeking to observe the case were denied entry, and some reported being assaulted. In a troubling escalation, the President warned outsiders against “disrupting peace”, while some members of parliament openly called for violence, suggesting activists should be “beaten and sent home in wheelchairs.” The Legal and Human Rights Centre recorded 63 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention in 2024, up from 51 in 2023, evidence of mounting hostility toward dissent.

Digital space has also come under heavy restriction. Since 2021, the government has raised data costs, criminalized the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) without registration, and imposed targeted platform bans. Social media services such as Clubhouse, Telegram, and X (formerly Twitter) have faced disruptions, with X blocked entirely unless accessed through a registered VPN, an act punishable under current laws. Surveillance, censorship, and content removals further erode online freedoms, limiting transparency and civic dialogue.

Together, these trends illustrate a deepening democratic regression in Tanzania, where both physical and digital spaces for civic engagement are increasingly curtailed through legal, political, and technological controls.