Hassan Secures 98% Victory in Tanzania’s Controversial Election

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania’s recent election, securing nearly 98% of the votes cast amid widespread allegations of electoral fraud and violent protests. The National Electoral Commission reported that Hassan, representing the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), garnered approximately 31.9 million votes out of 32 million total votes, with a voter turnout reported at 87%. This victory marks the beginning of her second five-year term.

The election results were overshadowed by violent unrest across the country, with significant protests erupting in cities including Dar es Salaam. Demonstrators took to the streets to express their discontent over the alleged disqualification of key opposition candidates and accusations of electoral misconduct. In response, security forces employed tear gas and live ammunition to disperse crowds. A nationwide internet shutdown further complicated efforts to confirm the extent of the violence, hindering reliable communication among citizens and international observers.

The opposition party, Chadema, reported that approximately 700 individuals lost their lives in the clashes, although diplomatic sources estimated the death toll to be at least 500. The United Nations, United Kingdom, Canada, and Norway have expressed serious concerns regarding the violence, urging for calm and restraint from the government. In contrast, the Tanzanian government has dismissed these higher casualty figures, labeling the unrest as “isolated incidents.”

Several factors contributed to the public’s anger, particularly the exclusion of opposition leaders from the electoral process. Tundu Lissu, an influential figure from Chadema, remains imprisoned on treason charges, while Luhaga Mpina, leader of ACT-Wazalendo, was barred from participating in the election. The ruling party faced minimal challenge, with only sixteen minor candidates allowed to run, none of whom posed a significant threat to CCM’s dominance.

In related news, in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, CCM’s Hussein Mwinyi was re-elected with nearly 80% of the vote, although opposition groups have alleged “massive fraud” in that election as well. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have criticized the Tanzanian government for a “wave of repression” leading up to the election, citing numerous cases of disappearances, arrests, and extrajudicial killings. A UN panel previously documented more than 200 disappearances in the country since 2019.

Samia Suluhu Hassan, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, has now achieved a landslide victory that reflects a level of support typically associated with authoritarian regimes. Despite expectations of her re-election, the scale of the victory raises questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Tanzania, a country that has been grappling with political tensions and civil unrest.