Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan Secures Landslide Victory Amid Election-Related Violence
International observers have pointed to the excessive use of force and restrictions on political freedoms during the electoral period.
Opposition supporters had immediately accused the commission of rigging the electoral process to ensure the re-election of the incumbent president. Photo/courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
On Saturday, Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the victor in the country’s general election, with almost 98% of all the votes cast. The election result offers President Hassan a new five-year mandate to lead the East African nation of about 68 million citizens. Her overwhelming victory has, however, been overshadowed by reports of widespread violence and unrest that erupted during and after the voting process.
President Hassan, who came into power in 2021 after the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, now faces the test of running a divided nation. Chaotic scenes were reported across several regions on election day as witnesses recounted events where police fired teargas and live bullets to disperse demonstrators. Protesters reportedly vandalized campaign posters with Hassan’s image and torched government buildings in defiance of what many saw as unfair and undemocratic.
The violence began almost immediately after Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary polls, which took place after the electoral commission controversially excluded Hassan’s two most powerful rivals from the competition. Opposition supporters had immediately accused the commission of rigging the electoral process to ensure the re-election of the incumbent president.
Tanzania’s main opposition party reported that hundreds of civilians lost their lives in the violent confrontations that swept through several cities, but those claims were met with skepticism by government officials, who described the figures as “grossly inflated.” The United Nations Human Rights Office could not confirm the opposition’s exact figures but reported that credible sources verified at least 10 deaths in three major cities during unrest.
The government has, however, denied the charges of election-related violence and suppression, saying security agencies took lawful measures to restore order and protect property. Authorities also dismissed claims of human rights abuses, characterizing them as politically motivated efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the election results. As calm slowly returns to some parts of the country, the credibility of the election and the future of democracy in Tanzania continue to raise questions. International observers have pointed to the excessive use of force and restrictions on political freedoms during the electoral period. President Hassan’s administration will now be under pressure to restore public trust, address political grievances, and promote national unity following one of the most contentious elections in Tanzania’s recent history.
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