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DAR ES SALAAM – Widespread protests have erupted across Tanzania, with reports of multiple fatalities, as opposition supporters denounce this week’s presidential election as a sham and a “coronation” for incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The unrest, which has seen running battles with police, a military deployment, and a severe internet blackout, marks a significant escalation in the nation’s political crisis.
The turmoil spilled across the border into Kenya, where two people were reported dead after fleeing clashes with Tanzanian security forces. In the border town of Namanga, hundreds of Tanzanian demonstrators barricaded roads, lit bonfires, and tore down posters of President Samia.
The protests were ignited by an electoral process that critics say was systematically undermined long before voting began on Wednesday. The main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, is in jail on treason charges, and another key contender was disqualified from the race, clearing a path for Samia and her ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has never lost an election since independence.
Anger intensified on Thursday as the electoral commission began announcing results showing Samia with a commanding lead, including nearly 95% of the vote in one province. The European Union echoed the opposition’s sentiment, with its lawmakers calling the election a “fraud” that had been “unfolding for months.”
The polling day itself was marred by violence, and the situation deteriorated further a day later. Gunfire and tear gas were reported in major cities including the northern hub of Mwanza, the capital Dodoma, and the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
“After barely 10 minutes, we started hearing gunfire and tear gas explosions,” an eyewitness in Mwanza told the BBC. “We see some injured people are being evacuated.”
In response to the crisis, the government has taken severe measures. A night-time curfew was imposed in Dar es Salaam, the military was deployed, and internet connectivity across the country was severely disrupted. Rights group Amnesty International reported the deaths of a civilian and a police officer in Wednesday’s clashes, calling the situation “deeply disturbing” and warning that the internet shutdown could inflame tensions.
With traditional communication channels blocked, protesters have reportedly turned to a walkie-talkie app called Zello to coordinate their actions.
President Samia, who initially won praise for easing repression after taking office in 2021, is now widely expected to secure a second term in an election that opponents dismiss as a foregone conclusion. As the military chief, Gen. Jacob Mkunda, blamed “bad characters” for the violence, the nation remains on edge, with major roads blocked and the US Embassy reporting that the route to Dar es Salaam’s international airport was closed. The government has ordered civil servants to work from home as tensions continue to mount.
