Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has won a landslide victory in a deeply disputed election marred by violence, opposition arrests, and reports of mass killings, official results showed on Saturday.
The electoral commission, announcing the final tally on state television, said Hassan secured 97.66 percent of the vote, sweeping every constituency in the country. A swearing-in ceremony was expected later on Saturday, according to the broadcaster.
The vote was held under tight security after key opposition figures were jailed or barred from contesting, prompting days of violent protests across the East African nation.
The main opposition party, Chadema, claimed that hundreds of people had been killed by security forces since demonstrations erupted on election day, Wednesday.
“Around 700 people have been killed,” a Chadema spokesman told AFP, citing figures from a network of hospitals and health clinics.
A security source and a diplomat in Dar es Salaam also told AFP that the death toll was “in the hundreds.”
Hassan, who rose to the presidency in 2021 following the sudden death of her predecessor John Magufuli, has faced resistance from sections of the military and Magufuli loyalists. Analysts say the overwhelming win was aimed at consolidating her grip on power.
Rights groups accused her government of unleashing a “wave of terror” ahead of the vote, including abductions and intimidation of opposition figures. Chadema was barred from participating, while its leader remains on trial for treason.
Despite a heavy security presence, election day descended into chaos, with crowds tearing down campaign posters and clashing with police. Authorities imposed an internet blackout and nationwide curfew, restricting access to information.
Journalists reported that news websites stopped updating early Wednesday, and media operations remain heavily restricted.
Hassan has not made any public statement since the violence began. Her government denies using “excessive force,” but has blocked internet access and enforced tight movement controls.
At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” about the situation in Tanzania, including “reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations.”
Much of the public anger has been directed at Hassan’s son, Abdul Halim Hafidh Ameir, who protesters accuse of directing the crackdown.
Unconfirmed reports suggested some army units sided with demonstrators in parts of the country, though Army Chief Jacob Mkunda declared his full support for Hassan, describing protesters as “criminals.”
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera on Friday that the government had “no figures” on casualties.
“Currently, no excessive force has been used,” he said. “There’s no number until now of any protesters killed.”
Polling stations opened on October 29, 2025, including one near an amusement park in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Rights groups have condemned the elections as neither free nor fair, warning that the crisis threatens to plunge the country into deeper instability.
AFP
