The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Tanzania’s electoral commission has declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of Wednesday’s general election, securing nearly 98 percent of the vote and extending her leadership under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party for another five years.
However, the landslide victory has been marred by reports of widespread violence and a brutal government crackdown on opposition protests.
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The main opposition party, Chadema, claims that hundreds of people were killed during a three-day wave of unrest that erupted during and after the polls. A party spokesperson told AFP that “around 700” people had been either shot or beaten to death by security forces.
Diplomatic sources in Dar es Salaam told the BBC there was “credible evidence” of at least 500 deaths, although independent verification has been difficult due to a nationwide internet blackout and heavy security presence.
Authorities have dismissed the figures as exaggerated and extended a night-time curfew, insisting the situation is “under control.”
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo Thabit downplayed the unrest, describing it as “a few isolated incidents,” and defended the internet shutdown, claiming it was necessary to prevent vandalism and “save lives.”
Protests broke out in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, and other major towns as mainly young demonstrators took to the streets, accusing the electoral commission of manipulating the vote by eliminating President Samia’s key challengers—one jailed on treason charges and another disqualified on technical grounds.
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Despite warnings from Army Chief Gen. Jacob John Mkunda to stay off the streets, protesters continued to rally in the commercial capital, tearing down campaign posters and blocking roads while chanting anti-CCM slogans.
Security forces responded with tear gas, live ammunition, and mass arrests. Residents reported nighttime raids in opposition strongholds and door-to-door searches, making it nearly impossible for journalists or rights groups to verify casualty numbers.
Hospitals in Dar es Salaam were reportedly overwhelmed, with sources telling the BBC that morgues were full and staff were barred from sharing information.
Chadema official John Kitoka alleged that some opposition leaders had fled the country, claiming security forces were “carrying out killings at night when no one can witness them.”
The government has stood by the election results, maintaining that the violence does not reflect the country’s overall stability. Meanwhile, the curfew, roadblocks, and internet blackout continue to restrict information flow and independent reporting on the situation.
