Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured a landslide re-election victory, winning 97.66 percent of the vote, according to official results announced by the Tanzanian electoral commission on state television on Saturday, November 1.
The result came after a highly controversial election marked by the jailing or disqualification of key opposition candidates, widespread violence, and a nationwide communications blackout.
State TV reported that Hassan would be swiftly sworn in following the announcement of results.
The main opposition party, Chadema, claimed that hundreds of people were killed by security forces after protests erupted across the country on election day, Wednesday, October 29. “Around 700 people have been killed,” a Chadema spokesman told AFP, citing figures gathered from hospitals and health clinics nationwide.
Security and diplomatic sources in Dar es Salaam also confirmed that the death toll was “in the hundreds.”
Hassan, 65, who first assumed office in 2021 following the sudden death of President John Magufuli, has faced internal opposition from factions within the ruling party and the military. Analysts say the election was an attempt to consolidate her authority and silence critics within her ranks.
Rights groups, however, accused her government of orchestrating a “wave of terror” ahead of the polls, citing abductions, arrests, and intimidation of opposition figures and activists.
Chadema and its leader were barred from participating, with the party’s presidential candidate reportedly on trial for treason.
Despite a heavy security deployment, election day descended into chaos, with protesters tearing down campaign posters, clashing with police, and setting polling stations ablaze. The unrest prompted authorities to shut down the internet and impose a nationwide curfew.
A security source described the situation as “unprecedented in recent Tanzanian history.”
Hassan has not made any public comment since the violence began. Her government denied allegations of excessive force, though it has restricted media access and blocked news websites, making independent verification nearly impossible.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” by reports of deaths and injuries during the protests, urging restraint and respect for human rights.
Much of the public outrage has been directed at Hassan’s son, Abdul Halim Hafidh Ameir, who has been accused by critics of coordinating the crackdown.
There were unconfirmed reports that some army units sided with protesters, but on Thursday, October 30, Army Chief Jacob Mkunda publicly reaffirmed his loyalty to the president, denouncing demonstrators as “criminals.”
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, speaking to Al Jazeera, dismissed reports of mass casualties. “Currently, no excessive force has been used,” he said. “There’s no number until now of any protesters killed.”
