Tanzania has elected Samia Suluhu Hassan to a second term as president, a victory that comes amidst significant national unrest and reports of numerous casualties. Hassan, who garnered an overwhelming 98% of the votes, declared the election free and democratic, while criticizing protesters as “unpatriotic.” However, opposition parties have vehemently rejected the results, citing widespread fraud and the suppression of key opposition figures.
The country has experienced a nationwide internet shutdown, making it difficult to independently verify the reported death toll, which some sources suggest could be as high as 700. Authorities have imposed a curfew in an effort to contain the escalating violence, which has seen protestors taking to the streets, removing campaign posters, and clashing with security forces.
International observers and several nations, including the UK, Canada, and Norway, have voiced deep concerns regarding the fairness of the election and the handling of the protests, citing credible reports of a significant number of fatalities and injuries resulting from the security response. The UN Secretary-General has urged all parties to prevent further escalation of violence.
Hassan, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021, is facing criticism for alleged government repression, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures. The country’s electoral commission, however, maintains that the election was conducted freely and fairly.
In Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago, Hussein Mwinyi of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party also secured a presidential victory, though the opposition there has also alleged massive fraud. The CCM, along with its predecessor, has historically dominated Tanzanian politics, never having lost an election since the nation’s independence.