Gender-Based Violence Instills Fear in Female Opposition Candidates
This is an election year in Tanzania. Five years have
passed since the last general election in 2020, but some female candidates who
participated in that election from opposition parties are still nursing deep,
unhealed wounds from harassment, losing close family members, injuries to many
people, and the loss of lives.
One of these women is Halima Ibrahim Mohamed (40),
an opposition politician whose experience during her leadership journey was
unexpectedly marred by violence and intimidation.
Halima, who holds a diploma in secretarial studies, is a
mother of five and lives with her husband on the island of Unguja. She began
her political career in 1994 and recounts how she encountered gender-based
violence during her candidacy for a representative position in 2020.
She explains that she was forcibly removed from a polling
station by individuals allegedly from state security forces. Halima was running
as a representative for the ACT Wazalendo party in the Malindi constituency,
which consists of two wards and 11 shehias (local administrative areas).
"I was forcibly removed from the polling station while
I was a legitimate candidate for the 2020 election. Later that evening, when I
returned to protect my votes, a soldier pointed a gun at my chest and ordered
me to turn back," she recounts.
Halima says she endured physical violence, repeated
threats, and narrowly escaped being shot by security forces.
"Honestly, elections here in Zanzibar are not peaceful, especially for us
opposition candidates. The threats are overwhelming," she says.
She adds that such acts of violence against opposition
candidates during elections demoralize women and discourage them from
participating in future political contests.
"Every time I remember being thrown out of the polling
station and denied my right to witness the vote count—while my male counterpart
from another party was allowed to stay—I feel physically ill," Halima
says.
She warns that if the situation does not change by the 2025
general election, many women from opposition parties will withdraw from running
for leadership positions due to the persistent violence they face during
elections.
Halima’s experience is not unique. Gender-based violence
against women during elections affects many female candidates, particularly
those from opposition parties.
Asiata Abubakar (40), another female candidate, shares a similar
ordeal. Asiata ran for a parliamentary seat in the Kikwajuni constituency on
the CHADEMA party ticket during the 2020 general election.
She recalls being ordered out of a polling station by
security forces after she witnessed someone being handed multiple ballot
papers. "I was forced out of the polling station, with claims that I was
not recognized as a parliamentary candidate in Kikwajuni," Asiata says.
She stresses that opposition candidates face systemic
harassment and abuse from security forces that are not officially mandated to
oversee elections.
"The responsibility to safeguard elections lies with the police, not
security agencies that disrupt the electoral process," she adds.
According to a study conducted by the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) in collaboration with the Tanzania Media Women’s Association –
Zanzibar (TAMWA ZNZ), Zanzibar has experienced election-related violence,
particularly in the 2020 elections.
A report prepared by the ACT-Wazalendo party documented 343
incidents of election-related abuse—256 involving men and 87 involving
women—during the 2020 elections. The violence resulted in 14 deaths and 55
injuries between October 26 and 30, 2020.
Tunu Juma Kondo, Deputy
Secretary-General of the Tanzania Women’s Union (UWT), emphasized the
importance of women preparing themselves and remaining resilient in the pursuit
of leadership roles, especially in constituencies where female participation
remains low.
"Women aspiring to leadership in the general election
must be strong and determined to secure these positions," Tunu says.
Zanzibar has signed various international agreements to
protect women from all forms of violence and discrimination, including
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW), established in 1979. However, the implementation of
these agreements remains weak.
According to the 2022 Tanzania National Population and
Housing Census, Zanzibar’s population is about 1.8 million, with 915,492 men
and 974,281 women, making women 51.6% of the total population. Despite their
majority, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions, partly due to
the violence they face during election periods.
The Tanzania Media Women’s Association – Zanzibar
(TAMWA ZNZ), a non-governmental organization advocating for girls’ rights
and women’s leadership, stresses the need for the Zanzibar Electoral Commission
(ZEC) to establish special security units under its control to prevent election
violence.
"We have consistently witnessed violence and abuse
against women during elections, which discourages female participation,"
says Dr. Mzuri Issa, Executive Director of TAMWA ZNZ.
Dr. Mzuri adds that to increase female representation in
leadership across all political parties, there must be peaceful politics free
from violence.
"If we want to see more women in leadership, we must cultivate a peaceful
and violence-free political environment," she insists.
Thabiti Idarous Faina, Director of the
Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), said the Commission does not maintain
records of election-related violence or harassment cases, as these are handled
by the police.
"The primary role of the Electoral Commission is to oversee the election
process, but we do not keep records of harassment cases that occur during
elections," Faina said.
The authorities responsible for security and public safety,
including the Police Force in the Southern Unguja Region, assured the public of
their preparedness to protect people and their property, as required by law.
SP Daniel Shila, the Regional Police Commander,
emphasized the importance of strict law enforcement during elections.
"We will take action against anyone involved in election violence,
including those who verbally abuse female candidates. We urge the public that
if any female candidate experiences violence, they should report it to the
police, and we will act accordingly," he said
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