President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the overwhelming winner of Tanzania’s 2025 presidential election, with the electoral commission announcing she secured about 97.66 % of the vote. The election, held on Wednesday, was immediately followed by widespread protests and violent clashes across the country.
The unrest erupted after key opposition figures had been barred from standing. Major opposition parties say hundreds—one party claims around 700 people have been killed during protests and security-force responses. Meanwhile, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says it has credible reports of at least 10 deaths resulting from the protests.
Protesters in cities such as Dar es Salaam and Mwanza have taken to the streets, burning government signs, damaging property, and confronting security forces. In response the government has imposed curfews, ordered internet shutdowns and deployed military units. President Samia Suluhu Hassan in a speech characterised the protesters’ actions as “neither responsible nor patriotic” and asserted the government must deploy all available means to keep the country safe.
The opposition argues that the election was essentially a “coronation”, pointing to the exclusion of the two main challengers as evidence of an unlevel playing field. International bodies including the Commonwealth Secretariat have now called for an independent investigation into the violence and alleged excessive use of force.
As Tanzania enters a new term under the same ruling party, the country faces serious questions about political freedom, accountability, and the legitimacy of its electoral process. The human cost of the unrest remains uncertain and contested but the signals of deep national tension are unmistakable.
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