TANZANIA’S ELECTORAL COMMISSION DECLARES PRESIDENT SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN WINNER AMID VIOLENT PROTESTS
Tanzania’s electoral commission announced on Saturday that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had won the presidential election with nearly 98% of the votes, securing a five-year term to govern the East African nation of 68 million people.
Hassan originally took power in 2021 following the death of her predecessor. The election sparked violent protests across the country starting on Wednesday, the day of voting for both president and parliament.
Demonstrators expressed anger over the electoral commission’s decision to exclude Hassan’s two main challengers from the race, describing the election as unfair and criticizing widespread government repression.
Protesters tore down banners of President Hassan, set fire to government buildings, and clashed with police, who responded with tear gas and live ammunition, according to eyewitness accounts.
The unrest affected multiple cities including Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Shinyanga.The main opposition party claimed that hundreds of people had been killed during the protests, although the United Nations human rights office reported credible evidence of at least 10 deaths across three cities.
The Tanzanian government dismissed the opposition’s death toll as exaggerated and rejected criticism of its human rights record.
The electoral commission reported a voter turnout of approximately 87% of the 37.6 million registered voters, though observers noted that turnout appeared low due to disruptions caused by the protests.
This election and the ensuing violence have raised serious concerns about political freedom, electoral fairness, and human rights in Tanzania as the country continues to grapple with political tensions and government control