Tanzania’s President Magufuli Wins Re-Election With Landslide Victory

Africa | Tanzania October 31, 2020

Incumbent President John Magufuli of Tanzania has won the presidential election of the country’s general elections held on October 28, 2020. That was announced by the country’s National Electoral Commission on the evening of October 30, 2020 and reported by various media.

The victory means a second five-year term in office for the incumbent president. It offers him the opportunity he requested from voters during the campaign, for completing his ambitious and vital infrastructure projects that include, among others, a state-of-the-art electrified cross-border standard gauge railway, that he started during his first term in office.

Reportedly, President Magufuli won 84% of the presidential vote hence with a landslide victory. His main challenger, main opposition presidential nominee Tundu Lissu, managed to take only 13% of the vote, according to the reports.

Notwithstanding, however, Mr Tundu Lissu had said before the announcement of the election results by the electoral body, that the elections were neither free nor fair. He particularly observed that the general elections were subject to electoral fraud of a magnitude that is unprecedented in the country’s history. He continued that his political party, namely Chadema, will not therefore recognize the results of the elections. Similar fraud claims have reportedly been made by other opposition parties as well. Whether the stance of the opposition is still the same after the official announcement of the results, is not known at the moment.

Legally, however, the opposition parties are facing an incredible dilemma about what they can do about their electoral fraud claims. That is because in Tanzania, election results declared and announced by the National Electoral Commission can not be challenged in any of the country’s courts of law. That is not good for a multi-party democracy!

On its part, the National Electoral Commission is said to have dismissed the opposition's electoral fraud allegations. At the same time and contrary to the allegations, an East African Group observer mission, reportedly said the general elections in Tanzania were conducted in a normal manner.

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