By Angela Moonga
Zambia’s former ambassador to Germany Anthony Mukwita says the African Union (AU), SADC, even ECOWAS—once imagined as Africa’s democratic watchdogs—now risk being seen as ceremonial mascots.
Reflecting on the Tanzania elections where that country’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan continued in office after barring fellow opposition leaders from contesting, Mukwita argued that Tanzania’s election resembled less a democratic celebration and more a cautionary horror flick minus the popcorn.
“What should’ve been a routine civic exercise turned into a political purge: arrests, disappearances, and deaths. Ballots were cast, yes, but many were drowned out by the sound of sirens and the silence of vanished voices. The pre-election atmosphere was already thick with dread. Amnesty International and the UN had sounded the alarm: civic space was shrinking, repression rising,” Mukwita stated.
“By voting day, nearly a hundred opposition figures had either vanished, been jailed, or met suspicious ends. Their names now circulate in hushed tones, mourned by families while the continent watches with a mix of horror and déjà vu.”
Among the people he mentioned as having faced arrests included Chadema’s presidential candidate Tundu Lissu, was detained in April 2025 and faces treason charges, with trial continuing under heavy scrutiny.
Others are John Heche, Chadema’s deputy chairperson, who was arrested outside the High Court in Dar es Salaam while attending Lissu’s trial.
There have been allegations of forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings of opposition members and activists.
Mukwita stated that the government has denied responsibility for the reported 500+ deaths during protests, despite mounting evidence from civil society groups.
“The lesson is clear: democracy must not be a blood sport. Elections should be about ideas, not injuries. And if leaders won’t listen to their people, then perhaps it’s time the people—and the institutions meant to protect them—spoke louder, sooner, and in peace,” Mukwita stated. “The internet must be restored. The truth must be told. And as for H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has yet to be sworn in—could she pull a shocker and say, “Damn it, I quit. Too many have died, too much damage has been done”? Is there a snowball’s chance in hell?Well, stranger things have happened. But in Africa, resignation is rarer than a unicorn in parliament.”
He denounced “the diplomatic confetti from the African Union and SADC over their usual statements—regretful, polished, and, to many, disturbingly premature.
“Congratulations were extended even as cities burned, citizens bled, and the internet took a nap. One wonders: was there pressure to applaud before probing? Were AU and SADC playing cheerleaders while democracy limped off the field?” Mukwita wondered. “Shouldn’t a fact-finding mission have preceded the fanfare? The optics were damning, regional bodies seen to be endorsing chaos, not condemning it. It’s the kind of PR disaster that makes one question whether these institutions are guardians of democracy or just glorified ribbon-cutters.
“This isn’t just about Tanzania,” analysts warn. “It’s about a continent where flawed elections are becoming the norm, and where institutions meant to safeguard democracy often arrive late, speak softly, and leave quietly.”
He argued that the AU, SADC, even ECOWAS—once imagined as Africa’s democratic watchdogs—now risked being seen as ceremonial mascots.
“Unlike the EU or NATO, which come armed with sanctions and consequences, Africa’s regional bodies seem more like rubber stamps with diplomatic passports.”
“Tanzania’s turmoil also exposed a generational fault line. Gen Z—angry, unemployed, and digitally savvy—took to the streets demanding change. Their reward? Tear gas and bullets. Reports suggest over 100 deaths, though the government insists it’s all exaggerated. (Because nothing says “trust us” like a blackout and a body count, a sleeping internet.),” stated Mukwita. “This isn’t an isolated tremor. From Madagascar to Kenya, youthful energy is colliding with aging regimes that treat power like a family heirloom. The result? A continent caught between the promise of tomorrow and the paranoia of yesterday.”
