President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania’s national election in a sweeping landslide, securing 97.66% of the vote across all constituencies, according to official results announced by the country’s electoral commission on state television.
The announcement comes after a tense and violent election period marked by deadly protests, widespread arrests, and the exclusion of key opposition candidates. The main opposition party, Chadema, claims that hundreds of civilians were killed by security forces during demonstrations that erupted on election day, October 29.
President Hassan, who ascended to power in 2021 following the sudden death of her predecessor John Magufuli, has faced internal resistance from factions within the military and Magufuli’s loyalists. Analysts suggest that the landslide victory was a strategic move to consolidate her leadership and reaffirm her control over the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
Despite the scale of her victory, Hassan has yet to publicly address the unrest. A swift swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place later today, as announced on state television.
International observers and human rights organizations have raised concerns over the integrity of the election process, citing reports of intimidation, suppression of dissent, and a “wave of terror” leading up to the vote. The exclusion of opposition voices and the scale of violence have cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the results.
The government has not released an official death toll, and independent verification remains difficult due to restricted media access and internet blackouts in several regions.