Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has officially nominated President Samia Suluhu Hassan as its candidate for the country’s presidential election scheduled for October 2025.
President Hassan assumed office in 2021 following the unexpected death of her predecessor, John Magufuli. The nomination was announced at a CCM general assembly held over the weekend, during which the party confirmed her as its sole candidate for the upcoming election.
Initially praised for easing restrictions on the opposition and media, Hassan’s leadership marked a shift from her predecessor’s stringent policies in the nation of approximately 67 million people. However, rights groups and Western governments have since expressed concerns over renewed political repression, citing incidents of arrests, abductions, and killings of opposition figures, particularly from the CHADEMA party.
The upcoming election will be a critical test for President Hassan’s administration amid these ongoing challenges.