Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission has declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the country’s disputed general election, securing nearly 98% of the total votes.
The announcement sparked widespread unrest across several regions as opposition parties alleged large-scale electoral malpractice and a violent government crackdown.
The opposition, Chadema Party claimed that hundreds of people lost their lives during post-election protests, accusing security forces of targeting demonstrators.
According to Chadema spokesperson, John Kitoka, party members who visited hospitals and clinics across the country reported about 700 deaths, including more than 350 in Dar es Salaam and 200 in Mwanza.
Kitoka called for the establishment of a transitional government to restore electoral integrity and halt the violence.
A security source cited by local media estimated the death toll to be between 500 and 800, while Amnesty International confirmed at least 100 verified fatalities.
The government, however, dismissed the opposition’s figures as exaggerated and described the violence as isolated incidents perpetrated by “criminal elements.”
Authorities have since imposed a nationwide curfew and restricted internet access, measures critics say are intended to stifle dissent and control the flow of information.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the alleged use of excessive force by security personnel.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took over office in 2021 following the death of former President John Magufuli, sought her first full term under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
However, the exclusion of major opposition candidates and the arrest of political activists have raised serious concerns about democratic freedoms and electoral transparency in Tanzania.
