Tanzania’s electoral commission has declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the October 29 election with an overwhelming 98% of the vote, extending her leadership for a second term. The result, however, has been overshadowed by widespread violence, protests, and allegations of voter suppression.
Reports indicate that demonstrators took to the streets in major cities, including Dar es Salaam, to contest the outcome, accusing the government of staging a “sham election.” Several opposition parties were either barred from participation or boycotted the poll, citing harassment, arrests, and restrictions on their campaign activities.
According to international outlets such as Reuters and The Guardian, security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators as results were being tallied. Human rights groups claim that hundreds were killed or injured during post-election clashes, though official figures remain unconfirmed. Opposition sources cited by The Guardian allege that as many as 700 people may have died, a figure the government has dismissed as a “gross exaggeration.”
Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa told reporters that “the situation is under control,” urging citizens to remain calm. Authorities confirmed several arrests but provided no official death toll. The electoral commission later issued a statement emphasizing that “the people of Tanzania have chosen continuity and stability.”
While Suluhu’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party celebrated the win, critics questioned the election’s credibility. “This was not a competitive election,” one regional political analyst told Reuters, adding that “the opposition was either silenced or sidelined.”
Suluhu, Tanzania’s first female president, first took office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli. Her new term will test her ability to sustain economic growth while addressing increasing demands for political reform and human rights protections.
