The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Senator Jim Risch, has voiced strong concern over what he described as escalating repression in Tanzania ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for October 29, 2025.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a statement shared on his official X account, Senator Risch accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration of silencing dissenting voices through intimidation and violence. He said recent incidents targeting Christian leaders and opposition figures were signs of a deepening political crisis.
“This crackdown is not only an assault on Christians and other citizens,” Risch wrote, “it also threatens Tanzania’s stability, undermines United States security and economic interests, and risks pushing the country further into China’s embrace.”
The Senator’s comments follow months of tension and mounting allegations of rights violations in the East African nation. Reports indicate that religious figures, activists, and members of the opposition have faced arrests, harassment, and attacks for expressing criticism of the government.
One of the most recent incidents involved a pastor from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, who was detained for allegedly advising his congregation not to take part in the upcoming polls. Regional Police Commander Ahmed Makarani confirmed that the cleric was in custody for questioning, denying claims of abduction. Police are also said to be searching for a Muslim cleric, Sheikh Juma Silima, who faces similar accusations.
In April, Father Charles Kitima, Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference and a vocal advocate for human rights, was assaulted by unidentified men at the conference’s offices in Dar es Salaam. The attack followed his public criticism of the government’s handling of the political process and his condemnation of opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s continued detention since April 2025.
Kitima, who survived the assault, later urged Tanzanians to “stand firm in defending fundamental national issues” and not to “fear paying the price for justice and truth.”
International human rights organizations have also raised alarm about Tanzania’s political climate. Amnesty International, in a report released on October 20, 2025, titled Unopposed, Unchecked, Unjust: Wave of Terror Sweeps Tanzania Ahead of 2025 Vote, detailed widespread violations of civil and political rights.
According to the report, between January 2024 and October 2025, authorities carried out arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. Amnesty noted that laws such as the Political Parties Affairs Laws (Amendment) Act, the Cybercrimes Act, and the Media Services Act have been used to suppress free expression and restrict digital communication.
The organization further revealed that access to social media platforms, including JamiiForums and X, had been curtailed, while several online content creators were abducted or disappeared under unclear circumstances.
However, the Tanzanian government has dismissed Amnesty’s findings. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said the allegations were “unsubstantiated and misleading,” insisting that the nation remains committed to democratic principles and the rule of law.
