Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan
Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission has declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the country’s controversial general election, claiming an overwhelming 98% of the vote.
However, the victory has been overshadowed by widespread protests and deadly clashes across major cities, as opposition parties accuse the government of orchestrating a violent crackdown on dissent.
John Kitoka, spokesperson for the opposition Chadema Party, alleged that around 700 people have been killed nationwide, including over 350 in Dar es Salaam and 200 in Mwanza.
He said these numbers came from party teams who visited hospitals and clinics to verify casualties.
> “Security forces have targeted peaceful demonstrators. We are calling for a transitional government to restore justice and stop the killings,” Kitoka said.
Independent reports paint a grim picture. A senior security source confirmed between 500 and 800 deaths, while Amnesty International verified at least 100 fatalities. The government rejected the opposition’s figures, calling them “grossly exaggerated” and blaming the unrest on “criminal elements.”
Authorities have since imposed a nationwide curfew and restricted internet access, measures that critics say are meant to silence opposition voices and control the narrative.
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has urged Tanzanian authorities to allow an impartial investigation into the alleged use of excessive force against protesters.
Suluhu, who took office in 2021 after the death of former President John Magufuli, was seeking her first full term under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Yet, the exclusion of major opposition candidates, arrests of activists, and media restrictions have raised deep concerns about the credibility of the election and the future of democracy in Tanzania.
