As the Presidential Election Draws Near, the Opposition’s Grip gets Tighter

On Monday, a Tanzanian court affirmed that opposition leader Tundu Lissu will face a treason trial. Lissu’s team appealed to have his case dismissed for procedural reasons, but the judges denied their request.

The latest setback for the nation’s opposition comes from the top court’s decision to permit Lissu’s trial to proceed. The largest opposition group in Tanzania, Lissu’s CHADEMA party, was also disqualified from the April elections.

Luhaga Mpina, the presidential contender, was rejected by the electoral commission on Monday. He is the leader of the second-largest opposition party in the nation, the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo).

With only candidates from tiny parties apparently permitted to participate, the disqualification of Tundu Lissu and Luhaga Mpina essentially gives incumbent president Samia Suluhu Hassan a clear run in the election scheduled for next month. According to rights groups, a government crackdown before of the elections is indicated by the growing repression against opposition leaders and dissidents in recent months.

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