Landslide Or Backslide? Samia Suluhu Claims 97.6% ‘Victory’ In Tanzania’s Most Bloody Election

By Our Reporter

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been re-elected with a staggering 97.6% of the vote, according to results announced Saturday by the country’s electoral commission, following a tense election marked by the exclusion of major opposition figures, low voter turnout, and violent protests.

The outcome, widely expected, grants Hassan her first elected five-year term after she initially assumed office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli. The commission reported that Hassan secured over 31.9 million votes out of 37.6 million registered voters, claiming a voter turnout of nearly 87% a figure that opposition activists and independent observers have challenged.

The election was marred by three days of unrest, with protests erupting across major cities including Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha. Demonstrators accused the government of manipulating the process by disqualifying key opposition candidates and detaining political rivals.

Witnesses reported that protesters tore down campaign posters, burned government buildings, and clashed with police, who responded with tear gas and live ammunition in some areas. Human rights organizations alleged widespread arrests and abductions of opposition supporters in the days leading up to the polls.

Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, was barred from contesting after refusing to sign a government-imposed electoral code of conduct. Its leader, Freeman Mbowe, has been in custody since April on treason charges — a move critics described as politically motivated.

CHADEMA officials claimed that hundreds of people were killed during the protests, though the U.N. Human Rights Office cited credible reports confirming at least 10 deaths in three cities. The Tanzanian government dismissed the opposition’s figures as “grossly exaggerated.”

In a speech from the administrative capital Dodoma after her victory declaration, President Hassan condemned the protests as “neither responsible nor patriotic.”

“When it comes to the security of Tanzania, there is no debate — we must use all available security avenues to ensure the country remains safe,” she said.

Authorities have since imposed a nationwide curfew, restricted internet access, and deployed additional security forces across the country. Several embassies have issued travel advisories for their citizens, citing instability and disruptions at Dar es Salaam Port — a key regional trade hub for fuel and mineral exports.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo defended the government’s handling of the crisis, saying reports of excessive force were exaggerated.

“There were only a few small pockets of incidents caused by criminal elements,” he told Reuters.

International observers and analysts expressed skepticism over the reported voter turnout, noting that many polling stations appeared largely empty on election day.

The 87% turnout figure contrasts sharply with the 2020 election, when former President Magufuli won re-election with about 12.5 million votes on a turnout below 50%.

Opposition figures and human rights groups said the inflated numbers cast further doubt on the credibility of the election.

President Hassan, 65, was initially praised upon taking office for easing some of Magufuli’s repressive policies and reopening space for media and civil society. However, her administration has recently faced criticism for tightening political controls, silencing dissent, and failing to deliver on promised reforms.

Last year, she ordered an inquiry into reports of political abductions, but no findings have been made public.

During her campaign, Hassan highlighted achievements in infrastructure development, road and railway expansion, and power generation, portraying herself as the leader capable of maintaining stability and economic progress in East Africa’s sixth-largest economy.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for a “thorough and impartial investigation” into reports of excessive force and deplored the loss of life.
Western governments have echoed those calls, urging Tanzanian authorities to uphold civil liberties and restore internet access.

For many Tanzanians, however, the election has left the nation divided — between those who see Hassan as a stabilizing figure and those who believe the democratic promise of her early presidency has been lost.