Widespread unrest has gripped Tanzania as President Samia Suluhu Hassan seeks re-election in a contest overshadowed by the exclusion of key opposition candidates and growing allegations of democratic backsliding.
Clashes erupted on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, with protesters taking to the streets to denounce what they called a “sham election.” Videos circulating on social media — yet to be independently verified — appeared to show demonstrators throwing stones at security forces and a petrol station engulfed in flames. Police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the crowds, according to BBC Swahili.
The monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed a nationwide internet disruption during voting hours, a move that opposition activists described as a deliberate attempt to stifle communication and media coverage. Government and police spokespeople did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The vote took place in the absence of Tanzania’s largest opposition party, CHADEMA, and several other challengers barred by the National Electoral Commission (NEC). CHADEMA’s presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu — who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 — remains on trial for treason, charges he insists are politically motivated.
In April, the NEC disqualified CHADEMA after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct that the party said favored the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). The commission also rejected the candidacy of Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, citing objections from the Attorney General.
“There is no election in Tanzania — it is a coronation,” CHADEMA’s foreign affairs secretary Deogratius Munishi told Citizen Television in Kenya, condemning the poll as illegitimate.
The government, however, has defended the process, insisting that the elections were “free, fair, and peaceful.” Officials have dismissed reports of arrests, abductions, and intimidation of opposition figures as “baseless propaganda.”
Observers reported low voter turnout across major cities, with polling stations closing at 4 p.m. local time. Early counts suggest that President Hassan’s CCM party — which has ruled Tanzania since independence in 1961 — is expected to secure another landslide victory. Official results are due within three days.
The unrest marks one of the most significant challenges yet for Hassan, who succeeded the late John Magufuli in 2021. Initially praised for restoring diplomatic ties and easing some of Magufuli’s authoritarian restrictions, Hassan has since faced criticism for tightening control ahead of the 2025 elections.
International observers, including the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU), have expressed concern about Tanzania’s shrinking democratic space, citing restrictions on opposition rallies, media censorship, and the use of force against dissenters.
Analysts warn that the government’s heavy-handed approach risks undoing decades of political stability in East Africa’s second-largest economy. Tanzania, once seen as a model of unity and peace, now faces growing internal discontent and an erosion of public trust in state institutions.
“If citizens lose faith in the ballot box, the street becomes the alternative,” said a Dar es Salaam-based political analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The ruling party’s dominance may continue, but the legitimacy of that rule is now under serious question.”
As the dust settles and results are tallied, the country’s leadership faces a stark choice — to suppress dissent further or to open dialogue toward genuine democratic reform.
