Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram Somali Magazine - People's Magazine
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the country’s controversial presidential election, securing nearly 98 percent of the vote. The final results released by the electoral commission on Saturday showed Hassan receiving 97.66 percent in Wednesday’s polls, sweeping all constituencies after most of her main rivals were either barred or prevented from contesting. A swearing-in ceremony was expected later the same day.
The election, which also included parliamentary seats, sparked days of violent unrest across several Tanzanian cities. Protesters took to the streets to denounce what they called a “rigged” process and the exclusion of key opposition figures. Witnesses reported chaos in some areas, with demonstrators pulling down Hassan’s campaign banners, setting fire to government buildings, and clashing with security forces who responded with tear gas and live ammunition.
Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party, which was blocked from participating, accused the government of orchestrating a violent crackdown. The party claimed that around 700 people had been killed during the unrest, citing reports collected from hospitals and clinics. However, the United Nations human rights office said it had only received credible reports of at least 10 deaths in three major cities.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo defended the government’s handling of the situation, insisting the election was fair and that security forces acted lawfully. “No excessive force has been used,” Kombo told Al Jazeera, dismissing the death toll figures circulated by the opposition. “We have no official figures of any protesters killed.”
President Hassan, who first assumed power in 2021 after the sudden death of her predecessor John Magufuli, faced 16 minor candidates in the election. Key challengers, including prominent opposition leader Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, were unable to compete—Lissu was jailed on treason charges for demanding electoral reforms, while Mpina was barred from running.
Rights groups say the vote took place under an atmosphere of fear, alleging that Hassan’s administration orchestrated a “wave of terror” ahead of the election. Reports of political arrests, intimidation, and abductions of opposition members surfaced in the weeks leading up to the vote, with several incidents intensifying just before polling day. The government has repeatedly denied these accusations and rejected criticism of its human rights record.
As the violence spread and the opposition continued to challenge the results, the international community voiced growing concern. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed that he was “deeply concerned” about the situation in Tanzania, including the reports of deaths and injuries during demonstrations. He urged restraint from all sides and called for respect for human rights and the rule of law.
President Hassan has not made any public statement since the unrest began, leaving the country in uncertainty over how her administration plans to address the growing tensions.