Hassan wins Tanzania election amid protest

Tanzania’s electoral commission announced on Saturday that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured victory in the national election with nearly 98% of the votes, following a week of violent protests that rocked the East African nation.

The win grants Hassan, who assumed office in 2021 after the death of former President John Magufuli, a new five-year mandate to lead a country of about 68 million people.

Protests erupted during Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary polls, with demonstrators reportedly tearing down campaign banners, torching government buildings, and clashing with security forces. Witnesses said police responded with tear gas and gunfire.

The unrest was triggered by the electoral commission’s disqualification of Hassan’s two main rivals, a move critics denounced as part of a broader campaign of repression. The opposition party CHADEMA said on Friday that hundreds had been killed, though the U.N. human rights office cited “credible reports” of at least 10 deaths across three cities.

Government officials dismissed the opposition’s casualty figures as “hugely exaggerated”, insisting that security forces acted with restraint. Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo rejected accusations of excessive force, describing the violence as limited to “a few small pockets of incidents” caused by criminal elements.

In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the loss of life and called for “a thorough and impartial investigation into all allegations of excessive use of force.”

Recent Criticism for Hassan

President Hassan, 65, was initially praised for easing political restrictions after taking over from Magufuli, whose administration was widely criticized for suppressing dissent. However, she has recently faced renewed criticism following a string of arrests and alleged abductions of opposition figures.

Although Hassan denied any widespread human rights abuses, she announced last year that she had ordered an investigation into the alleged abductions. No official findings have been released.

During her campaign, Hassan highlighted achievements in expanding road and railway infrastructure and boosting electricity generation capacity.

Meanwhile, CHADEMA, which was barred from participating in the election after refusing to sign a code of conduct, dismissed the vote as a “coronation.” Its leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason in April. Another major opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, also saw its candidate disqualified, leaving only minor parties to contest against Hassan.