This archive report was first published on 16 November 2019.
On November 16, 2019, the Catholic Church in Tanzania entered the electoral fray, with Archbishop Gervas Nyaisonga urging those who uphold Catholic values not to boycott elections.
The call comes as opposition parties in Tanzania have announced their withdrawal from the civic elections scheduled for November 23, citing perceived foul play and restrictions imposed by President John Magufuli.
Archbishop Nyaisonga, who heads the Catholic Church in Tanzania, emphasized that boycotting the polls was not the solution, but rather that contestants must work together to address the challenges that led to the boycott.
The opposition parties' withdrawal from the election is a first for Tanzania and is a culmination of political restrictions imposed by President Magufuli, who banned political rallies in 2015.
At least three smaller parties have also joined the stay-away bandwagon, although a coalition of other parties dismissed it, citing the Kiswahili proverb: 'Mwenye njaa hawezi kususia chakula' (a hungry person cannot boycott food).
The poll will elect ward councillors and local government leaders and is seen as a litmus test ahead of next year's presidential and parliamentary elections.
