Tanzania Opposition Rejects Election Results as Protests Erupt Nationwide

 

By Brian

Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, has rejected President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s landslide election victory, calling the results “completely fabricated” and denouncing the polls as a “sham” marred by repression, violence, and systematic exclusion.

The party, which was barred from contesting the election after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, issued a strongly worded statement late Saturday declaring the vote illegitimate and accusing the National Electoral Commission of collusion with the ruling party.

“CHADEMA strongly rejects the so-called election results announced by the National Electoral Commission. These results have no basis in reality, as no genuine election took place in Tanzania,” the statement read.

CHADEMA’s leader, Tundu Lissu, has been in custody since April on treason charges, a case that critics say reflects the government’s growing intolerance of dissent.

Widespread Unrest and Deadly Clashes

Protests erupted across several regions following Wednesday’s vote, with demonstrators clashing violently with police. Witnesses reported crowds tearing down posters of President Hassan, setting government buildings ablaze, and confronting heavily armed security forces who responded with tear gas and live ammunition.

The opposition claimed on Friday that hundreds had been killed in the unrest. However, the UN human rights office placed the confirmed death toll at ten, spread across three cities. Reuters reported that it could not independently verify either figure. Human rights groups have also cited widespread arrests and abductions of opposition figures in the weeks leading up to the vote.

Government officials dismissed the opposition’s casualty claims as “hugely exaggerated” and defended the security forces’ actions as necessary to maintain order.

Hassan Defends Crackdown

Speaking from the capital, Dodoma, after being officially certified as the winner, President Hassan condemned the protests as “neither responsible nor patriotic.”

“When it comes to the security of Tanzania, there is no debate — we must use all available security avenues to ensure the country remains safe,” she said.

Authorities have since imposed a nationwide curfew and restricted internet access, effectively cutting off much of the country from the outside world. International flights have been cancelled, and operations at the Port of Dar es Salaam — a vital economic hub — have been severely disrupted.

Mounting Political Crisis

The unrest marks Tanzania’s gravest political crisis in years, raising fears of deeper instability in one of East Africa’s largest economies. Analysts warn that the government’s hardline response risks further eroding public trust in democratic institutions already weakened by years of crackdowns on opposition parties and civil society.

International observers have urged restraint on all sides, with the African Union and United Nations calling for an independent investigation into the violence and a dialogue process to restore calm.