Kenya, Sept. 16 -- Mpina's presidential disqualification has plunged Tanzania's electoral process into turmoil after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) barred opposition leader Luhaga Mpina from the October 29 presidential race on September 15, 2025, defying a High Court order that reinstated him just four days earlier.
The reversal, grounded in procedural flaws regarding his sponsorship by ACT Wazalendo, leaves incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan facing minimal competition, as the main opposition CHADEMA remains excluded due to leader Tundu Lissu's ongoing legal battles.
ACT Wazalendo swiftly condemned the move as a blatant suppression tactic, urging electoral reforms and international oversight to safeguard democratic integrity in East Africa's key vote.
Mpina, a former ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) minister who defected in August 2025 after losing party primaries, was initially disqualified on August 27 over irregularities in his ACT Wazalendo nomination, as flagged by the Registrar of Political Parties.
The High Court intervened on September 11, ruling INEC's action unconstitutional and ordering his immediate registration, a victory that briefly revived hopes for a competitive field.
Yet, INEC's abrupt U-turn came after upholding an objection from Attorney General Hamza Saidi Johari, who argued Mpina lacked proper party endorsement under the Elections Act.
The commission dismissed Mpina's counter-objection against Hassan's nomination but removed him from the ballot, citing failure to meet sponsorship criteria-a decision that echoes CHADEMA's earlier exclusion in April, where Lissu faces treason charges from past activism.
This latest twist has amplified fears of a one-party dominance, with Hassan, who ascended in 2021 after John Magufuli's death, now positioned as the unchallenged frontrunner from CCM, Tanzania's long-ruling force since independence.
ACT Wazalendo, a left-leaning party founded in 2014, positioned Mpina as a credible challenger, emphasising anti-corruption and youth empowerment, drawing support from urban voters disillusioned by economic pressures like rising fuel costs and youth unemployment.
Party spokesperson Ado Othman decried the disqualification as "a calculated effort to mute opposition voices," vowing legal appeals and street protests if needed.
International observers, including the European Union and the African Union, have called for transparent processes, with rights groups like Human Rights Watch warning that such manoeuvres erode trust in Tanzania's multiparty system, which was established in 1992 but tested by past crackdowns under Magufuli.
Youth activists, who make up over 60% of voters, see this as a repeat of 2020's flawed polls, pushing for diaspora voting rights and digital monitoring to prevent fraud.
Hassan's administration, touting infrastructure wins like the Bagamoyo port revival, faces mounting pressure to address these grievances ahead of campaigning.
As the Mpina presidential disqualification fallout deepens, Tanzania stands at a crossroads for its democratic future, with calls for electoral reforms growing louder to ensure fair play.
With just six weeks until polls, international monitoring could prove pivotal in restoring confidence, allowing diverse voices like ACT Wazalendo's to compete without procedural barriers that stifle competition and innovation in governance.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.