Nairobi, Kenya Following the announcement that Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan had secured a sweeping re-election victory reportedly earning nearly 98% of the vote renowned Pan-Africanist and governance expert Professor PLO Lumumba has delivered a pointed reflection on what such a margin means for democracy in the region.
While acknowledging that President Suluhu was widely expected to win, Lumumba’s remarks centered on the extraordinary scale of her victory and its implications for political pluralism in Tanzania.
“The Inevitable vs. The Incredible”
Speaking on the controversial outcome, which the main opposition has dismissed as illegitimate, Lumumba said the political atmosphere ahead of the polls left little doubt about who would emerge victorious. However, he questioned whether the numbers reflected genuine democratic competition.
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“In any democracy, there are favorites and President Samia Suluhu Hassan was undoubtedly the favorite to win,” Lumumba noted. “But when you begin to see figures like 98%, it demands a pause. In a truly multi-party democracy, such margins often reveal more about the limits of democratic space than about popularity.”
His comments align with concerns from international observers and human rights organizations, which cited pre-election arrests of opposition figures, media restrictions, and allegations of electoral malpractice.
The Health of Democracy
Known across Africa for his eloquent advocacy of ethical leadership and constitutionalism, Lumumba emphasized that how a victory is achieved is just as significant as the victory itself.
“Tanzania has a proud democratic heritage, and its citizens deserve a vibrant and competitive political process,” he said. “The challenge for the government now is not only to govern but also to restore trust in the institutions responsible for delivering those results.”
Lumumba concluded that an overwhelming margin like 98% even for a popular incumbent risks weakening confidence in democratic fairness rather than strengthening it.
The respected scholar’s remarks add a powerful voice to growing scrutiny of Tanzania’s electoral integrity, shifting the discussion from who won to how the election was won.
