Keypoints:
- Police fire live rounds and teargas in Dar es Salaam
- At least five killed amid election unrest
- Opposition calls Hassan’s victory a ‘coronation’
POLICE in Tanzania’s main city, Dar es Salaam, fired gunshots and teargas on Thursday to disperse demonstrators protesting the results of a general election marred by violence and controversy, Reuters reported. The protests erupted again barely a day after the vote, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan claim a sweeping lead in preliminary results.
According to witnesses, dozens of protesters returned to the streets in defiance of a government-imposed curfew and ongoing internet disruptions. Crowds gathered in the Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya neighbourhoods, demanding the reinstatement of opposition candidates barred from the race.
The election, held on Wednesday, was overshadowed by widespread unrest after the disqualification of Hassan’s two main challengers. Many Tanzanians accused the government of tightening its grip on dissent and using state institutions to sideline critics.
Reports of deaths as police impose curfew
Human rights activist Tito Magoti said he had received reports of at least five deaths from Wednesday’s protests. A diplomatic source, who requested anonymity, said credible information indicated at least ten fatalities in Dar es Salaam alone. Reuters noted that it could not independently verify these casualty figures, and government and police spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment.
In an overnight order, police imposed a curfew on the city of more than seven million residents. Internet access remained patchy across the country throughout Thursday, with reports of throttled social media services.
Meanwhile, state broadcaster Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation provided minimal coverage of the unrest, instead airing early election results showing Hassan with commanding majorities across several constituencies.
Flights cancelled amid spreading unrest
Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said that some international flights had been cancelled to and from Dar es Salaam, while airports in Arusha and near Mount Kilimanjaro were temporarily closed as a precaution.
On the Zello app, which functions as a walkie-talkie through smartphones, some activists discussed plans for further marches, including potential demonstrations at government buildings. Tyres were reportedly set ablaze on several major roads, and businesses remained shuttered in several urban centres.
‘The people are rewriting our political culture from being cows — if I may use that word respectfully — to being active citizens,’ said Magoti. ‘That old perception that Tanzanians are peaceful and non-confrontational is beginning to shift.’
Opposition calls election a ‘coronation’
Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, had called for nationwide protests during the election, describing the vote as a ‘coronation’ of President Hassan. The party was disqualified from participating in April after refusing to sign a code of conduct set by the electoral commission. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, was later charged with treason.
The candidate for ACT-Wazalendo was also barred, leaving only minor parties to challenge Hassan. The exclusions drew international criticism and further eroded public confidence in Tanzania’s democratic process.
Government orders civil servants to stay home
As tensions rose, government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa announced on Instagram that all civil servants should work from home on Thursday unless their presence was deemed essential.
The violence marks a crucial test for Hassan, who initially earned praise after taking office in 2021 for easing political restrictions imposed under her predecessor, John Magufuli. However, rights groups say repression has crept back in recent years, citing cases of alleged abductions and intimidation of opposition figures.
Hassan said last year that she had ordered an inquiry into reports of politically motivated abductions, though no findings have been made public.
With protests threatening to spread beyond Dar es Salaam, the government faces mounting pressure to restore calm and transparency in a nation once seen as one of East Africa’s most stable democracies.
