President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania’s presidential election, securing another term in office amid days of unrest and allegations of fraud across the country.
According to the electoral commission, President Samia won 98% of the vote, nearly sweeping the 32 million ballots cast in Wednesday’s election.
However, international observers have raised concerns over the transparency of the vote and the violence that has gripped the country, reportedly leaving hundreds of people dead and many others injured.
A nationwide internet shutdown has made it difficult to verify the full scale of the violence. Authorities have extended a curfew in an attempt to quell ongoing protests, while government officials have sought to play down the unrest.
“I hereby announce Samia Suluhu Hassan as the winner of the presidential election under the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party,” said Jacobs Mwambegele, the electoral chief, while announcing the results on Saturday morning.
In Zanzibar, Tanzania’s semi-autonomous archipelago which elects its own president, CCM’s Hussein Mwinyi—the incumbent—was also declared the winner with nearly 80% of the vote.
Opposition groups there have rejected the results, citing what they called “massive fraud,” according to the Associated Press (AP).
Protests and Violence
Protests erupted across Dar es Salaam and other cities on Friday, as demonstrators tore down campaign posters and clashed with police despite warnings from the army chief.
The demonstrations, largely led by young protesters, accuse the government of rigging the election and suppressing opposition voices.
Two main opposition contenders, Tundu Lissu—who is currently being held on treason charges, which he denies—and Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party—who was disqualified on legal grounds—were both unable to campaign freely. Sixteen smaller parties were allowed to participate, none with significant public backing.
A spokesperson for the Chadema opposition party told AFP that “around 700 people” have been killed in clashes with security forces, while a diplomatic source told the BBC there was credible evidence that at least 500 people had died.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo Thabit downplayed the situation, calling the violence “a few isolated incidents” and insisting that security forces “acted swiftly and decisively.”
Background
The ruling CCM party has dominated Tanzanian politics and has never lost an election since the country gained independence.
Ahead of the vote, rights groups condemned what they described as a campaign of repression. Amnesty International reported a “wave of terror” involving enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures—claims the government firmly denied, insisting the elections were free and fair.
President Samia, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, will now serve another term as the country faces growing domestic and international scrutiny.
