Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the country’s controversial presidential election, securing nearly 98 percent of the votes. The election results were announced by the electoral commission in Dodoma, showing Hassan’s overwhelming victory in all constituencies.
Hassan, who became president in 2021 after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, received her certificate of victory at a ceremony in the administrative capital. In her speech, she thanked Tanzanians for trusting her leadership and urged the nation to unite after the election. She said her government would work with all security agencies to maintain peace and stability across the country.
However, the main opposition party, Chadema, which was banned from participating in the election, rejected the outcome, calling it “a mockery of democracy.” Party spokesman John Kitoka demanded the involvement of an independent body to organize a fresh and fair election.
The election period was marked by violence and chaos in several major cities. Protesters demonstrated against the exclusion of opposition leaders from the race and what they described as widespread repression. Security forces reportedly responded with tear gas and live bullets, and some government buildings were set on fire.
Opposition sources claim that up to 800 people were killed during the clashes, although the government denies this, saying no excessive force was used and that it has no official record of the reported deaths. The United Nations said it had received credible reports confirming at least 10 deaths in three cities.
During her victory speech, President Hassan condemned the violence, saying such actions were unpatriotic and dangerous to national security. She emphasized that the government would use all means to safeguard peace and order.
Hassan ran against 16 candidates from smaller political parties after major opposition figures were either barred or jailed. Chadema leader Tundu Lissu remains in prison on treason charges for calling for electoral reforms, while Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo was blocked from running.
Human rights groups accused the government of suppressing political dissent through intimidation and abductions in the weeks leading up to the election. Despite these claims, the authorities insisted the polls were conducted fairly and in accordance with the law.
International reactions have been mixed. The United Nations expressed deep concern over the violence and called for calm, while the African Union congratulated Hassan but regretted the loss of lives during post-election unrest. Analysts have described the election as one of the most repressive in Tanzania’s history, noting that the unrest reflects growing frustration among the country’s youth who feel excluded from the political process.