Tinotenda Hove -The European Parliament has issued a scathing condemnation of Tanzania’s recent elections, describing them as a “sham” and “a complete betrayal of democratic values.” The elections, held on October 29, have drawn international outrage for what observers say was widespread repression, intimidation, and manipulation.

In a strongly worded statement released on Thursday, the European Parliament declared that “the elections cannot be regarded as free and fair.” The statement went on to say, “What should have been a celebration of democracy instead unfolded in an atmosphere of repression, intimidation, and fear. The fraud did not begin at the ballot box — it has been unfolding for months.”

Observers noted that the election process was “embarrassingly below the standard of even a Zimbabwean election,” with critics calling it a “complete farce.”

The European Parliament condemned the Tanzanian government’s ongoing crackdown on opposition figures, particularly the arrest and treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. “Lissu must be released immediately and unconditionally,” the statement demanded. “His only ‘crime’ was to demand free and fair elections.”

The joint statement, signed by key Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) — including David McAllister of Germany, Mounir Satouri of France, and Merja Kyllönen of Finland — highlighted systematic efforts to silence dissent. “No election can be credible when the main opposition is silenced, when freedom of assembly and expression are denied, and when independent media are intimidated and censored,” the MEPs said.

Reports of irregularities, the obstruction of observers, and targeted violence against critical voices have “further eroded the integrity of this electoral process,” the statement added.

The European Parliament urged international partners and regional bodies to take a stand rather than offering hollow congratulations to what it called “a stolen election.”

“We urge all democratic partners to stand firm in the defence of democracy and human rights,” the MEPs emphasized. “Silence is not neutrality — it is complicity.”

Critics in the region described the situation as “a great disappointment for SADC and the entire African continent,” warning that regional silence would only embolden authoritarianism. As one observer noted, “To sink that low, you have to be truly pathetic. Sadly, that is exactly what has happened in Tanzania.”