By Adonis Byemelwa
Iringa has erupted into the centre of Tanzania’s latest political storm after Mary Chatanda declared at a campaign rally that she would “wipe out” the country’s main opposition party, Chadema, if President Samia Suluhu Hassan handed her power “even for one minute.”
The remarks, delivered on May 18 in Migori Village, quickly spread across social media, triggering fierce backlash from opposition supporters, lawyers, and civil society groups who warned that such rhetoric risks pushing the country deeper into political division.
“If she were to give me this country for even one minute, I would finish off Chadema,” Chatanda told supporters during the rally, according to videos widely circulated online.
Critics described the remarks as dangerous and unbecoming of a senior ruling party figure at a time when Tanzania remains politically tense following the disputed 2025 general election.
Supporters of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, however, defended the statement as campaign hyperbole rather than a literal threat. Some CCM members argued that opposition politicians have also used inflammatory language, including accusations that state institutions orchestrated repression and election violence during the polls.
Political analyst Benson Mwaikenda said the controversy reflects a broader crisis in Tanzania’s democratic culture rather than an isolated campaign outburst.
“What is dangerous is not only the statement itself,” he said, “but the normalisation of rhetoric that talks about eliminating opponents instead of defeating them through elections.”
Legal expert Nima Mwakasongula warned that leaders addressing polarised audiences carry a greater responsibility to calm tensions rather than inflame them.
“Even rhetorical suggestions about destroying political rivals can deepen hostility among supporters and weaken confidence in peaceful democratic competition,” she said.
Tanzanian pastor Mbarikiwa Mwakipesile has publicly condemned the dangerous political remarks of Mary Chatanda. “Such statements advocating the elimination of political opponents will exacerbate divisions and antagonism in the country’s already fragile political climate, undermine democratic values, and push the nation further away from unity, restraint, and political participation rooted in policy issues and relevant merits,” Mwakipesile said.
The remarks come against the backdrop of mounting political tensions following Tanzania’s October 2025 general election, which was marred by protests, arrests, and violent confrontations in several parts of the country.
Chadema claims between 2,000 and 3,000 people were killed during unrest linked to the election period, though the government has strongly disputed those figures and accused opposition leaders of spreading unverified information.
Independent verification of the casualty toll has never been completed, with domestic and international observers repeatedly calling for transparent investigations into reports of post-election violence.
Human rights organisations say the political climate has become increasingly fragile, citing arrests of opposition figures, pressure on journalists, and restrictions on public gatherings as signs of shrinking democratic space.
Government officials reject accusations of repression and insist security operations were necessary to prevent unrest and protect public order. Earlier this year, senior officials accused some opposition activists of encouraging demonstrations that threatened national stability, stressing that all arrests and prosecutions were carried out in accordance with Tanzania’s legal framework.
Particular attention has focused on the continued detention of Tundu Lissu, who was arrested in April 2025 and charged with treason.
Authorities maintain the case involves serious national security concerns that must proceed through normal judicial channels, while opposition supporters insist the prosecution is politically motivated and designed to weaken dissent ahead of future elections.
Pressure on Chadema intensified further after Tanzania’s Office of the Registrar of Political Parties issued a formal warning, accusing some party leaders of using inflammatory, anti-government rhetoric.
The registrar cited statements referring to President Samia as an “unelected dictatorial ruler” and accusing security agencies of carrying out “cruel, Satanic murders” during the election period.
The notice warned that Chadema could face suspension, deregistration, or financial penalties if similar statements continue. Opposition leaders condemned the move, arguing that criticism of government conduct should not be treated as criminal incitement or grounds for dismantling a legally registered opposition party.
“This is not about law; it is about silencing dissent,” one Chadema official said in response to the warning. The party argues that its statements reflect frustration over disputed election results, arrests, and allegations of abuses committed by security forces during the political crisis.
Political scientist Dr Lucas Mhando said the escalating confrontation between CCM and Chadema reflects a dangerous deterioration in the country’s political discourse.
“Insults, threats, and accusations are increasingly replacing debate about governance, the economy, and reforms,” he said. “People are beginning to see politics as a battlefield instead of a democratic process.”
Analysts say Tanzania’s current tensions must also be understood within a broader historical context. The country was long viewed as one of East Africa’s more politically stable states, but disputes over opposition freedoms intensified sharply during the presidency of former leader John Magufuli.
When President Samia took office in 2021, she initially won praise for easing restrictions on the media and reopening political space.
In recent months, however, critics have increasingly questioned whether those reforms have stalled or begun reversing amid mounting confrontations between the state and opposition groups.
CCM officials reject claims that Tanzania is abandoning democratic principles, insisting the government is balancing political openness with the need to maintain national unity and security.
They also accuse opposition figures of fueling tensions through rhetoric that undermines public institutions’ confidence and encourages unrest among supporters.
Residents in Iringa expressed sharply divided reactions to Chatanda’s remarks. Some described the comments as emotional political rhetoric aimed at countering opposition attacks, while others warned they reflected a growing culture of hostility within Tanzanian politics.
“Leaders should compete through policies, not threats,” one local trader who attended the rally said. Another resident argued that both major political camps had become excessively confrontational and urged politicians to “stop treating opponents like enemies.”
Civil society organisations are now calling on both the ruling party and the opposition to lower tensions before divisions deepen further.
Governance experts warn that Tanzania’s democratic stability may ultimately depend not only on security measures or court cases, but also on whether political leaders abandon inflammatory rhetoric and return to issue-based politics focused on governance, economic hardship, and institutional reform.
