Tanzania’s electoral commission has announced that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured a sweeping victory in the country’s latest election, winning 97.66 percent of the vote. The results were announced on state television, with officials confirming that she won in every constituency. A brief swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on Saturday, according to state broadcasters.
However, the announcement comes amid widespread unrest and accusations of state violence. The main opposition party, Chadema, which was barred from participating in the election, claims that hundreds of people have been killed since protests broke out across the country on Wednesday. The party’s leader is currently facing treason charges.
Hassan, who first rose to power in 2021 following the sudden death of former president John Magufuli, has been working to consolidate her authority. Analysts say this election was an effort to affirm her position amid resistance from some sections of the military and loyalists of her predecessor.
Human rights groups accuse her government of overseeing a climate of fear in the run-up to the vote. They report abductions and intimidation targeting critics and activists, particularly in the final days before polling.
Despite a heavy security presence, protests erupted nationwide on election day. Demonstrators dismantled campaign posters and clashed with police outside polling stations. The government responded by shutting down the internet, imposing a nationwide curfew, and restricting movement.
A spokesperson for Chadema told AFP that around 700 people may have been killed, citing reports gathered from hospitals and clinics. A security official and a diplomat in Dar es Salaam also told AFP that the number of deaths is likely in the hundreds.
The government has denied using excessive force. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera that the state has “no confirmed figures” on fatalities and insisted that “no excessive force has been used.” Internet services remain limited and journalists on the ground face tight restrictions, making independent verification difficult. News websites have not been updated since Wednesday.
There is also growing public anger directed at the president’s son, Abdul Halim Hafidh Ameir, who has been accused by critics of playing a key role in the crackdown.
Reports have circulated of soldiers joining protesters in some regions, though the head of the military, General Jacob Mkunda, insisted on Thursday that the army stands with the government. He described protesters as “criminals” and vowed firm action.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the situation, urging respect for human rights and calling for calm. Hassan has not yet made a public statement regarding the unrest.
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