On 30 September 2020, the Rift Valley Forum, in partnership with Heinrich Boll Foundation, hosted the second forum in the Elections Series on the 2020 elections in Tanzania. The forum examined the Tanzania experience under President Magufuli, leader of Chama Cha Mapinduzi, who was elected in 2015. Among the issues discussed was the repression and harassment faced by opposition parties, the media and civil society organizations. The discussion also explored the situation in the semi-autonomous island state of Zanzibar, where the polls were predicted to be highly contested, with a history of election-related violence.

The webinar was moderated by Oryem Nyeko from Human Rights Watch. Jenerali Ulimwengu of The East African and Fulgence Massawe of the Human Rights Centre in Tanzania were the key discussants, drawing from their experiences in journalism and human rights.