Kigame: Ruto congratulating Suluhu signals support for unfair elections
By William Muthama, November 5, 2025Presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame has criticised President William Ruto for congratulating Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan following her recent election victory, describing the gesture as a signal of support for an election he says was fundamentally unfair.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Kigame highlighted the broader implications of such actions for East Africa.
“We have a very major problem in the East African community,” he said, noting that the congratulations from Ruto, alongside Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, set a dangerous precedent.
“To congratulate her is to also imply they support unfair processes. That is not the way to go,” Kigame added.
Democracy undermined
He accused Suluhu of consolidating power in ways that contradict the vision of Tanzania’s founding father, Julius Nyerere, who advocated for people-centred elections.
Kigame warned that endorsing such processes undermines democratic norms in the region and risks normalising authoritarian practices.
Also watch: Cherargei on Tanzania’s elections: Free, fair polls still a mirage in Africa.
Kigame also drew attention to the current state of democracy in Kenya, arguing that it is no longer a truly free society.
“Kenya has reverted to the dictatorship that we used to see in the 1980s, when the media was not free, and those who criticised the government were jailed and tortured,” he said.
He recounted the abduction of human rights activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo as evidence of a shrinking space for accountability and free expression under the current administration.
The gospel musician emphasised the need for citizens, particularly the youth, to defend democratic freedoms. “Civil society and Gen Z should regroup and tell these leaders we do not want this. This is not the kind of East Africa we want,” Kigame said.
He further criticised international and regional bodies, including the African Union, for endorsing Suluhu’s election despite reports of opposition suppression, protests, and internet blackouts.
According to Kigame, such endorsements betray the principles of the Organisation of African Unity and risk encouraging authoritarian trends in neighbouring countries.
Kigame concluded by calling for the protection of constitutionalism and democratic principles in Kenya and across East Africa.
“We must be resolute, uphold our constitutions, and say no to dictators. That is the only way to secure freedom and justice for all citizens,” he said.