By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The official campaign period has started for Tanzania’s October general elections with incumbent
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday presented her party’s parliamentary candidates, marking official commencement for the October presidential election in the east African country.
Hassan, the candidate of the governing CCM party, was cleared by the electoral body on Wednesday to run in the Oct. 29 elections.
This comes as main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu remains in custody after he was charged with treason in April, following his call for electoral reforms.
His party, CHADEMA, was in April barred from taking part in the general election after it refused to sign an electoral conduct document, instead calling for electoral reforms.
The presidential candidate for the second biggest opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, was on Wednesday denied clearance by the electoral body which cited internal objection by his party member.
Hassan officially launch her party’s campaign on Thursday alongside her running mate Emmanuel Nchimbi. She introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates.
Her candidacy has been criticized by some rivals but was defended by former President Jakaya Kikwete who said she was allowed to seek a second consecutive term in office in line with party rules.
Hassan has been accused of silencing her critics after opposition leaders were arrested in recent months.
She attracted commendation in her first days in office when she lifted a six-year ban on political rallies imposed by former President John Magufuli.
She has however attracted criticism for her tone of intolerance on dissents, opposition and free media.
She had warned foreign activists coming to Tanzania to witness Lissu’s trial against “meddling” into the country’s affairs, saying she will not allow them to destroy the country.
“I inherited a country that needed both national and international consensus to be governed, a consensus between government and political leaders, businesses, and international communities,” she said Thursday.
