Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has condemned the nationwide protests following her controversial re-election victory, in which she was declared the winner with nearly 98 per cent of the vote. Meanwhile, the opposition alleges that security forces have killed hundreds of citizens.
The electoral commission announced that Hassan secured 97.66 per cent of the votes, with an 87 per cent turnout. However, AFP journalists and other observers reported that many polling stations appeared largely empty.
At the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) rally in Mwanza on 28 October 2025, Hassan’s supporters waved flags and chanted slogans as she sought to consolidate her authority and silence internal critics. Her victory was aided by the disqualification or imprisonment of key opposition figures, but the resulting discontent fuelled mass demonstrations nationwide.
“The government strongly condemns and denounces those incidents,” Hassan stated on state television while receiving her certificate of return. “When it comes to national security, there is no alternative but to employ all defence measures.”
The main opposition party, Chadema, told AFP that “no fewer than 800 people” had been killed by security forces since Wednesday. A security source and a diplomat in Dar es Salaam confirmed that the death toll was “in the hundreds”, although independent verification remained difficult due to an ongoing internet blackout.
Chadema spokesman John Kitoka described the election result as “a mockery of the democratic process” and demanded a fresh vote. “We will announce our response, which may include calling for national protests,” he added.
Father Charles Kitima, Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference in Dar es Salaam, criticised the government’s actions, saying Tanzania had turned into “a totalitarian regime.” “It’s a very sad event. For the first time in our country, we are witnessing the mass killing of people protesting,” he said by phone.
African Union Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf congratulated Hassan but expressed regret over the loss of life.
The unrest has paralysed daily life. Tourists have been stranded due to cancelled flights, and the main port in Dar es Salaam — the country’s key economic artery — has been closed, according to data from Vessel Finder and the Dutch shipping firm C. Steinweg. Food prices have surged, shops have run short of supplies, petrol stations have shut down, and public transport has halted.
“I have been staying in the mosque since Wednesday when the violence began,” said 52-year-old Mohamed Rajab in Dar es Salaam. “There is no transport. I have no idea when I’ll be able to go home.”
Hassan, who assumed the presidency in 2021 following the sudden death of John Magufuli, has been accused by human rights groups of overseeing a “wave of terror” before the vote, marked by abductions and intimidation. Chadema was banned from contesting the election, and its leader faced treason charges.
Despite a strong security presence, election day descended into chaos as protesters tore down campaign posters, clashed with police, and attacked polling stations, prompting an internet shutdown and the declaration of a curfew.
Although the government denies using “excessive force”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations.
Public anger has also turned towards Hassan’s son, Abdul Halim Hafidh Ameir, who is accused of coordinating the pre-election crackdown. Reports suggesting some army units sided with protesters remain unverified, but Army Chief Jacob Mkunda publicly backed the president, labelling demonstrators as “criminals”.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera that the government had “no figures” for casualties and insisted, “No excessive force has been used; there are no confirmed numbers of protesters killed.”