Marginalisation of the opposition: parliamentary elections and one-party dominance in Tanzania

from Danny Schindler

DOI: 10.36206/BP2020.04

Tanzania in East Africa has come to the attention of the German public in recent months due to the re-election of a coronavirus-sceptical president and his surprising death. In contrast, the elections to the National Assembly in October 2020 have gone largely unnoticed. Even though the office of president is the institutional centrepiece of many African systems of government, parliaments deserve more attention. Against this backdrop, this spotlight examines the development of election results in Tanzanian parliamentary elections since 1995, focusing in particular on the questions of what causes the ruling party's dominance and how it should be assessed. In view of the almost non-existent institutionalised opposition, a weakening of parliament as a whole can be assumed. An end to the one-party dominance cannot be expected in the foreseeable future, as various restrictions on competition continue to exist under the current president.

The most important facts in brief:

1. As the longest ruling party in Africa, the CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi, Party of the Revolution) once again won the Tanzanian parliamentary elections by a clear margin in October 2020. Tanzania is therefore a prime example of a system of one-party dominance, which is also widespread in the rest of Africa.
2. Under conditions of fair competition, the dominant parliamentary position of a party is a normal case of democratic politics that cannot be criticised in normative terms. The assessment is different if this dominance is achieved by means of repression (harassment of the opposition, etc.). In the election to the National Assembly
   In 2020, the playing field of political competition showed a particularly clear divide in favour of the governing party.
3. With a CCM seat share of 93 per cent, the election result effectively resulted in a one-party parliament. This development is also to the detriment of the National Assembly as a whole, given the power of the presidency. The only weak form of institutionalised opposition limits the reliable fulfilment of the parliamentary control function in particular.
4. Under Samia Suluhu Hassan, the successor to President John Magufuli, who died unexpectedly in March 2021, there are signs of change on substantive issues and a more conciliatory rhetoric towards political opponents. However, it is questionable whether there will be lasting changes, as the opposition parties' room for manoeuvre is limited, while the institutional framework for the previous party dominance remains in place.