Opposition politician Martha Karua has fired a sharp rebuke at the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC), labeling Tanzania's recent elections a "bloody and ruthless coup" that demands urgent regional intervention.
In a post on X dated November 7, 2025, the founder of the People's Liberation Party called for swift action to halt purges against opposition figures and civilians.
As a key voice in Kenya's democratic struggles, Karua's words resonate deeply amid East Africa's fragile peace.
Tanzania's October 29 polls plunged into violence, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan's landslide victory—claimed at 98%—sparkling fraud allegations and deadly clashes.
Internet blackouts, opposition boycotts by Chadema, and reports of over 700 deaths have gripped the nation, including reprisals against protesters and journalists.
For Kenyans sharing a porous border, this unrest raises alarms over potential refugee influxes and trade disruptions in the East African Community.
Karua, a veteran of Kenya's own turbulent 2007 post-election crisis, likened the situation to military takeovers that prompt AU condemnations.
"AU and SADC must move from outrage to action to uphold the values set in the African Charter on Democracy, the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, as well as international norms," she stated firmly.
She warned of an ongoing ruthless purge and declared, "Africa must not condone a blood bath in its midst. Time to Act is Now. This we owe to ourselves and future generations."
Echoes of concern ripple through Kenyan civil society, where groups like the Kenya Human Rights Commission have long monitored cross-border rights abuses.
SADC observers flagged voting irregularities, while the AU deemed the process flawed and advocated reforms.