Tanzania Episcopal Conference President: Reform electoral process now and free the detained

“The government must sit with all relevant stakeholders and agree on urgent reforms before the election,” he said. “The voices and cries of the people must be heard. There is still sufficient time to correct the irregularities and improve the process.”

His comments come amid mounting pressure from human rights groups following the arrest of opposition Chadema chairman, Mr Tundu Lissu, who was detained on April 9 while on a mobilisation tour in Mbinga, Ruvuma Region. He had been campaigning under the slogan No reforms, no election. Mr Lissu was later transferred to the Dar es Salaam Central Police Station and has since been charged with treason.

Bishop Pisa questioned who truly threatens the country’s peace—the one using force to enforce an election without reforms, or the one calling for dialogue and system improvements.

“In a normal situation, who is disrupting peace—one who insists on an election through force, or one calling for a return to the table to assess our electoral system?” he asked. “This system, as it stands, cannot guarantee the emergence of just and credible leadership.”

The bishop appealed for the release of all detainees, including opposition leaders, saying, “Those arrested for demanding justice must be released unconditionally, and no others should face harassment for doing the same.”

He went on to stress the need for peace and national unity, calling on citizens to pray for the country’s stability and for the emergence of patriotic and just leaders.

Turning to the foundations of democratic governance, Bishop Pisa said legitimate authority must be rooted in free and fair elections, adding that “the vote is a powerful tool, and citizens must not be denied their right to use it.”

He warned that the concerns raised by electoral stakeholders suggest the current environment does not reflect a credible path to fair elections and urged the government to take these views seriously to ensure a just process.

“If elections are conducted freely and fairly, the leaders who emerge will be the fruit of truth and justice,” he said.

Bishop Pisa cited unresolved complaints from previous elections in 2019, 2020, and 2024 as evidence of a need for urgent reform. He noted that irregularities flagged in the 2024 local government elections remain unaddressed.

“There are already well-documented recommendations regarding the structure and independence of the National Electoral Commission,” he said. “These must now be implemented.”

He also called on state institutions to operate independently and with integrity.

“If people are denied the freedom to vote, democracy will collapse,” he warned. “Many dictators—both globally and here in Africa—avoid elections for fear of losing. And when they do allow them, they manipulate the systems to stay in power. Thankfully, Tanzania is not there yet.”