By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Tanzania’s incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan was cleared Wednesday by the Independent National Electoral Commission to run in the country’s presidential election slated for October.
Hassan was approved along with her running mate Emmanuel Nchimbi on the last day of nominations.
In a post on the US social media company X’s platform after the nominations in Dodoma, Hassan called on her ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party to “maintain unity to ensure victory for our party and for God's permission to return to serve citizens.”
Hassan, 65, is standing for the presidency for the first time since she succeeded the late President John Magufuli, who died suddenly in 2021 due to a heart ailment.
She has promised to deliver on her party’s mandate by implementing major projects to advance Tanzania’s development and building a self-reliant economy under Vision 2050.
She served as Tanzania's first female vice-president from 2015 to 2021 before assuming the presidency.
Formal campaigning for the elections is set to run from Aug. 28 until Oct. 28, with voters casting their ballots on Oct. 29.
There are 17 candidates in the race. But political observers say none presents a serious threat to President Hassan. In the 2020 general elections, Magufuli won with 84.4%.
After assuming power, Hassan was credited for trying to bring about reforms in the East African country, initiating dialogues with the opposition and other stakeholders to reform the electoral architecture.
But lately, she is also facing criticism over human rights concerns and alleged suppression of dissent amid shrinking political space, according to analysts.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission rejected the candidacy of opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina of the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT Wazalendo), his party announced.
ACT Wazalendo is regarded as Tanzania’s third-largest political party.
Mpina, who joined ACT Wazalendo earlier this month after defecting from the ruling party, was barred following complaints from a party member to the effect that the party had breached its own nomination procedures, said the Office of Registrar of Political Parties.
In a statement, ACT Wazalendo said the decision “raises serious questions regarding the integrity, diligence, competence and independence of the Commission.”
In April, the leading opposition party CHADEMA was disqualified from taking part in this year’s poll after it failed to sign the electoral code of conduct by the required deadline.
Its chairman Tundu Lissu was jailed in the same month on treason charges, which he denies.
His arrest followed an opposition campaign of “no reforms, no election.”
Other notable contenders in this year’s poll include Hassan Kisabya Almas from the National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA), Kunje Ngombale Mwiru from the Alliance for African Farmers Party (AAFP) and Doyo Hassan Doyo from the National League for Democracy (NLD).