Journalist Sam Gituku has sharply criticized a controversial provision in Tanzania’s constitution that prevents courts from challenging the results of presidential or parliamentary elections once declared by the electoral commission, warning that the clause threatens democratic accountability and could sow political instability.
Speaking on Thursday during the New Gang Show, Gituku questioned how such a provision could exist in a modern democracy, describing it as “a recipe for chaos and disorganization.”
He noted that the law effectively shields the electoral commission from scrutiny and leaves aggrieved candidates or citizens without legal recourse, regardless of the credibility of the results.
“The Tanzanian constitution says that when a candidate is declared by the electoral commission to have won an election, no court of law shall have any jurisdiction to inquire into the election of that candidate,” Gituku said. “How do you put that in a constitution? It is a recipe for chaos and disorganization.”
Gituku’s remarks came amid widespread criticism of Tanzania’s Wednesday elections, which were marred by restricted media access and an ongoing internet blackout.
He lamented that journalists could not monitor the tallying process or verify results as they streamed in, saying this lack of transparency further undermined public trust.
“We are not getting as much access to information about Tanzania as you would expect with East African elections because internet access has been denied,” he observed, adding that the situation had forced media houses to rely on unverified reports and footage of protests instead of official updates.
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