[2] In April 2019, Livingstone Lusinde, an MP for the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, suggested that holding a presidential election in 2020 was not a good idea due to the cost, and that the money should be used for development projects.

[9] The main opposition party Chama cha Democracia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) held its general council conference in Dar es Salaam on 3 August 2020.

The party's 420 central committee members nominated ex foreign minister Bernard Membe with 97.61% vote as the union presidential candidate.

[17] The National Electoral Commission, whose members are appointed by the president, barred Lissu from campaigning after he said Magufuli had organised a meeting with election officials.

[17] According to Al Jazeera, "The election was marred by allegations of arrests of candidates and protesters, restrictions on agents of political parties to access polling stations, multiple voting, pre-ticking of ballots, and widespread blocking of social media."

A local elections watchdog group noted a heavy deployment of military and police whose conduct created a “climate of fear”.