The Tanzanian government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Dar es Salaam after violent protests erupted across the country in the wake of Wednesday’s general election — a vote already clouded by the exclusion of key opposition parties and allegations of electoral manipulation.
Thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets of Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Dodoma, and Mwanza, setting up barricades and torching polling stations amid growing anger over what many described as a “rigged election.” Police fired tear gas and live rounds into the air to disperse crowds, while videos posted online showed plumes of smoke rising from burning buildings.
Authorities confirmed multiple polling stations had been ransacked or set ablaze, though the exact extent of the damage remains unclear. Several witnesses reported injuries as protesters clashed with police in densely populated neighborhoods.
“The city was in chaos — we could hear gunfire through the night,” said Aisha Mbwana, a resident of Dar es Salaam’s Temeke district. “People are angry. They feel their voices were silenced before the voting even began.”
Interior Minister George Simbachawene announced the curfew order late Wednesday, urging citizens to remain indoors “for their own safety” and warning against “any acts that threaten peace and public order.”
The government also restricted internet access nationwide, with digital rights monitor NetBlocks confirming widespread disruptions to social media platforms and messaging apps since Tuesday night.
The unrest comes after a deeply contested vote from which main opposition leaders were disqualified, including Tundu Lissu of CHADEMA and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo. Their exclusion left President Samia Suluhu Hassan, seeking a second term, virtually unchallenged.
Critics accuse the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party — in power since independence in 1961 — of engineering a “one-party election.”
“There was no choice, no transparency, and no democracy,” said Deogratius Munishi, CHADEMA’s foreign affairs secretary. “Tanzanians are tired of being spectators in their own elections.”
The government maintains that the election was “free and fair,” dismissing opposition claims as “baseless.”
International reactions have begun to pour in.
The African Union and European Union have both called for restraint and urged Tanzanian authorities to respect citizens’ rights to peaceful protest. The United Nations Human Rights Office expressed concern over reports of excessive force by security agencies and restrictions on internet access.
Local civil society groups, including the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), condemned the arrests of more than 300 protesters in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, calling the detentions “arbitrary and unconstitutional.”
“The government cannot claim peace while silencing dissent,” said LHRC director Anna Henga. “These protests are not the cause of instability — they are a symptom of citizens losing faith in democratic institutions.”
President Suluhu, Africa’s only female head of state, had been hailed early in her tenure for restoring Tanzania’s international image after the hardline rule of the late John Magufuli. But critics now accuse her of reversing those democratic gains as she consolidates power within CCM.
Analysts warn that the current unrest could mark a turning point for Tanzania, long regarded as one of East Africa’s most stable nations.
“The social contract between government and citizens is fraying,” said Dr. Lucas Mnyampala, a political scientist at the University of Dar es Salaam. “If the ruling party doesn’t open up the political space, Tanzania risks sliding into a permanent cycle of protest and repression.”
As night fell on Thursday, much of Dar es Salaam remained under military patrol. The usually bustling streets were eerily silent — save for the distant sound of sirens and the echo of a nation grappling with its democratic future.
