Voting took place across the country’s 30 regions and on the semi autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, where residents are also choosing a regional president and members of the island’s House of Representatives. Nationally, voters are electing a president and 400 members of parliament, in a contest that analysts say could further consolidate the ruling party’s grip on power.

The election, however, has drawn criticism from both local and international observers after the electoral commission disqualified the main opposition party, CHADEMA, in April. The commission accused the party of refusing to sign the national electoral code of conduct  a move CHADEMA dismissed as politically motivated.

The party’s leader, Tundu Lissu, remains on trial for treason, charges he has denied, calling them “an attempt to silence dissent.” Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and returned from exile in 2020, has been one of President Hassan’s most vocal critics.

With CHADEMA and other key opposition candidates barred, President Hassan’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) faces little organized competition. Her campaign has centered on promises to expand economic reforms, strengthen women’s participation in leadership, and promote national unity after years of political polarization under her late predecessor, John Magufuli.

Hassan, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following Magufuli’s sudden death, is seen by supporters as a stabilizing figure who has reopened civic space and restored Tanzania’s international relations. Critics, however, argue that recent government actions including opposition bans and media restrictions  show a return to authoritarian tendencies.

Election officials reported a strong voter turnout early in the day, though sporadic reports of delays and irregularities surfaced in some urban districts. Results are expected to be announced within the next several days.

Regional observers from the East African Community (EAC) and the African Union (AU) have deployed monitoring teams, though access for some international media outlets has reportedly been restricted.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has firmly rejected Kenya’s appointment of a Consul-General to Goma, accusing Nairobi of breaching diplomatic protocol and undermining Congolese sovereignty amid ongoing conflict in the eastern region.

Kenya’s designation of Judy Kiara as Consul-General to Goma announced Friday has sparked outrage in Kinshasa, which claims the move was made without prior consultation or notification, a requirement under international diplomatic norms.

In an official statement, the Congolese Foreign Ministry said the appointment “violates established international procedures and risks being interpreted as legitimizing the occupation of Goma by M23 rebels.”

“This is not just a breach of protocol it is a political misstep,” said a senior Congolese official. “Goma is not a stable diplomatic zone. It is under the control of a rebel movement our government is actively fighting.”

Background

Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, fell under rebel control earlier this year after intense clashes between the Congolese armed forces and the M23 rebel group, which Kinshasa accuses of receiving foreign support, including from regional actors.

The M23’s takeover of Goma has been internationally condemned, and the Congolese government continues to assert its authority over the region.

Kenya’s Position

Kenyan President William Ruto included Judy Kiara’s appointment in a wider diplomatic reshuffle aimed at expanding Kenya’s influence in the Great Lakes region. Nairobi has not publicly responded to Congo’s rejection, but sources within Kenya’s foreign ministry say the appointment was made “in good faith” to support regional diplomacy and Kenyan citizens in Goma.

However, Congo sees it differently as an act of interference in a conflict zone still under military contestation.

Diplomatic Fallout

This latest dispute comes amid tense regional dynamics, with Congo already wary of neighboring countries’ involvement in eastern DRC’s volatile landscape. The African Union and East African Community are expected to be called on to mediate and clarify regional diplomatic boundaries.

As of now, the status of Kenya’s proposed diplomatic mission in Goma remains uncertain, and relations between Kinshasa and Nairobi appear strained.