Official election campaigns kick off in Tanzania as main opposition leader remains in custody

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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — The official campaign period has started for Tanzania's October general elections with incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday introducing her party's parliamentary candidates and the main opposition leader remaining in custody.

Hassan, of the ruling CCM party, was cleared on Wednesday to run in the Oct. 29 elections by Tanzania's electoral authority while the main opposition party, CHADEMA, was barred from taking part after refusing to sign an electoral conduct document and calling for electoral reforms.

CHADEMA’s leader Tundu Lissu remains in custody after he was charged with treason in April for urging electoral reforms.

The presidential candidate for the second biggest opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, on Wednesday was also barred from contesting polls in October.

Hassan officially launched her party’s campaign on Thursday alongside her running mate Emmanuel Nchimbi and introduced its slate of parliamentary candidates.

Hassan has been accused of silencing her critics after opposition leaders were arrested in recent months and rivals have criticized her candidacy. But her candidacy was defended by former President Jakaya Kikwete who said Hassan was allowed to seek a second consecutive term in office in line with party rules.

“We have a tradition that if the incumbent president seeks a second term, they are given the sole ticket. Why should it be different for President Samia?” he said.

In her first days in office, Hassan struck a reconciliatory tone and lifted a six-year ban on political rallies that was imposed by former President John Magufuli. But she has changed her tone in recent months, warning foreign activists coming to Tanzania for the opposition leader’s court case and saying she will not allow them to destroy the country.

“I inherited a country that needed both national and international consensus to be governed, a consensus between government and political leaders, businesses, and international communities,” she said Thursday.

Hassan is being challenged by 16 other presidential candidates.