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Former Botswana President Khama Denounces Tanzania’s Suluhu as ‘Illegitimate’ Leader

Former Botswana President Ian Khama has publicly declared Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan illegitimate, citing allegations of electoral fraud and a violent government crackdown on opposition protesters following Tanzania’s recent presidential election.

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Speaking at Lukenya University in Kenya, Khama condemned what he described as systematic election rigging and deadly use of force against demonstrators during and after Tanzania’s October 29, 2025, presidential vote.

President Suluhu, representing the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, secured victory with 84.2% of the vote according to official results. However, opposition parties have disputed the outcome, alleging widespread electoral fraud and irregularities throughout the voting process.

International election observers reported significant irregularities during the polls, adding credibility to opposition claims. The election’s credibility has been further undermined by reports of post-election violence that international human rights organizations say resulted in substantial loss of life.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented at least 150 deaths attributed to security forces’ actions in the aftermath of the election. The casualties reportedly include protesters shot in major urban centers such as Dar es Salaam, the country’s largest city, and Arusha, a key northern hub.

The Tanzanian government has contested these accounts, attributing the violence to criminal elements rather than security forces. Authorities have not released an official death toll, and the discrepancy between government statements and human rights organizations’ findings has intensified international scrutiny of the election’s aftermath.

Khama, who served as Botswana’s president from 2008 to 2018 and is known for his outspoken views on governance in Africa, joins a growing chorus of voices questioning the legitimacy of Suluhu’s electoral mandate. His remarks at the Kenyan university represent one of the most direct challenges to the Tanzanian leader’s authority from a former head of state on the continent.

The October election marks a critical moment for Tanzania, a East African nation of approximately 65 million people that has been governed by the CCM party since independence in 1961.