Tensions remain high in Tanzania as the main opposition party rejects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s landslide election victory, a result marred by deadly protests and widespread accusations of electoral fraud.
The opposition, led by Chadema — which was barred from participating in the election — has labeled the official results as “completely fabricated,” insisting that the vote was no genuine contest. According to the government, President Hassan secured over 97 percent of the vote in a race that many have described as a coronation rather than a competitive election.
Protests erupted across Tanzania’s major cities following the exclusion of key opposition candidates and what rights groups have reported as arrests and enforced disappearances of political opponents. Security forces clashed violently with demonstrators, using tear gas and live ammunition, leading to an unclear but tragic loss of life. While the opposition claims hundreds have died, the United Nations has confirmed at least 10 fatalities.
In response, authorities imposed a nationwide curfew shortly after Wednesday’s vote and restricted internet access, measures the government says were necessary to restore order. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have raised serious concerns about a pattern of arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings in the lead-up to the election.
Speaking in Dodoma as she accepted her winner’s certificate, President Hassan condemned the protests as “unacceptable, uncivilized and unpatriotic,” calling her victory a collective triumph for all Tanzanians. She praised security forces for their role in ensuring the election process continued amid the chaos, stating, “Patriots build their countries and do not destroy what their fellow citizens’ blood and sweat have built.”
Chadema views the mass demonstrations as clear evidence that many Tanzanians reject the outcome of what they call a flawed election.
President Hassan, who ascended to power in 2021 following the sudden death of her predecessor John Magufuli, now extends the ruling party’s decades-long hold on power. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, which has governed Tanzania since independence in 1961 and maintains close ties with China’s Communist Party, has long been seen as a symbol of political stability in the region.
Yet, this election exposed deep divisions within Tanzania. Key opposition figures remain sidelined — Chadema leader Tundu Lissu has been imprisoned on treason charges after calling for critical electoral reforms, and ACT-Wazalendo’s presidential hopeful Luhaga Mpina was disqualified from the race.
As the dust settles, questions linger about the future of Tanzania’s democracy. Will the ruling party’s firm grip continue to maintain peace and order, or will the growing calls for political reform usher in a new chapter for this East African nation?
We will continue to follow this story closely.
Reported by Ehud Jones.
