By Kennedy Nalyanya
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured another term as Tanzania’s leader, but her victory in Wednesday's election comes against a backdrop of widespread turmoil and deadly protests. The Electoral Commission declared on Saturday morning that President Samia, representing the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, had won a landslide, capturing an unprecedented 97.66% of the vote.
The official results, announced by electoral chief Jacobs Mwambegele, stated that Samia secured approximately 31.9 million votes from the nearly 32 million ballots cast. Turnout was reported to be high, nearing 87% of the country’s 37.6 million registered voters.
Concerns Over Transparency and Violence
However, the result is heavily clouded by concerns over the election's legitimacy and the ensuing unrest across the nation.
-
Opposition Clampdown: Critically, the two most viable opposition challengers were barred from the race. Tundu Lissu of the main opposition party, Chadema, is currently in jail on treason charges he denies, and another key contender, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, was excluded on legal technicalities. This left Samia competing against 16 fringe parties with minimal popular support, virtually ensuring a victory for the CCM, which has ruled Tanzania since independence.
-
International Reaction: International observers have voiced deep concern over the lack of transparency in the electoral process and the widespread violence that has erupted.
-
Casualty Reports: Reports of casualties are difficult to verify due to a nationwide internet shutdown, but they paint a grim picture. While the government has downplayed the violence, a spokesperson from the Chadema party claimed to an AFP news agency that "around 700" people had been killed. A diplomatic source suggested to the BBC that there was credible evidence of at least 500 deaths in clashes with security forces. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo Thabit dismissed the violence as "a few isolated pockets of incidents here and there."
Protests and Security Response
The protests, largely led by young demonstrators, have denounced the election as fundamentally unfair. Demonstrators in the port city of Dar es Salaam and other urban centres took to the streets, attacking police and polling stations and tearing down Samia’s posters, despite warnings from the army chief.
To quell the unrest, the government has extended a curfew and deployed security forces, who have been manning roadblocks across Dar es Salaam, keeping the tension high.
The Zanzibar Connection
The semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, which holds its own election for President, also saw a CCM victory. Hussein Mwinyi won with nearly 80% of the vote, though the opposition there has also alleged "massive fraud." Mwinyi's swearing-in ceremony was held on Saturday morning.
This victory secures a new term for Samia Suluhu Hassan, who made history in 2021 as Tanzania's first female president following the sudden death of President John Magufuli. Her re-election, however, solidifies the CCM's decades-long dominance over the country's politics at the cost of deepening political division and a reported human rights crisis, which rights groups like Amnesty International had warned about as a "wave of terror" in the run-up to the vote.
Add comment
Comments