Tanzania’s main party to release nominee for October presidential elections
Tanzania’s National Executive Committee is expected to announce the presidential nominees for the Union (Tanzania excluding Zanzibar) from the ruling Party of the Revolution (CCM) today.
CCM’s presidential nomination for the autonomous region of Zanzibar was announced on Friday. The country will go to the ballots on October 25. Although opposition parties have been legal in Tanzania since 1992, the CCM hasn’t lost an election since 1977 and the country has remained a de facto one-party state.
Current Tanzanian President John Magufuli is likely to receive the CCM’s nomination. While lauded for his work fighting corruption, Magufuli dissolved the parliament in early June and has been accused of human rights violations by his opponents. Tanzania’s opposition parties have called for independent election monitoring to ensure a fair vote.
In light of the CCM’s domination and Magufuli’s likely nomination, expect Magufuli to win a second presidential term in October. Magufuli’s platform denounces imperialism, and if he wins, he will likely focus on restricting the influence of Western businesses in the name of Tanzanian autonomy.
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