Tanzania's recent elections were marred by violence and a lack of choice for voters, as opposition candidates were either jailed or barred from running, reflecting a concerning trend across Africa where incumbent presidents are suppressing political dissent. This pattern is undermining democratic processes and risking greater unrest.

• In Tanzania, the two serious rivals to President Samia Suluhu Hassan were either jailed or barred from running.
• Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara won a fourth term with almost 90 percent of the vote after his two main opponents were excluded.
• 92-year-old Paul Biya, the world's oldest head of state in Cameroon, secured re-election for an eighth term after his strongest challenger was barred.
• Nic Cheeseman, an African elections expert at the University of Birmingham, notes that governments are responding with "repression" to increased demands from a young generation.
• New international partners like China, Russia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are reducing external pressure for democratic adherence.