Samia Suluhu Hassan Wins Tanzania Election with 98% of Vote Amid Deadly Protests

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania’s presidential election, securing 98% of the vote in a contest marred by violence, internet shutdowns, and opposition crackdowns. Her victory makes her the first woman in Tanzania’s history to be elected president.

Hassan, who first assumed office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, now begins a new five-year term leading the East African nation of 68 million people.

But her overwhelming win — one of the largest margins in the country’s history — has sparked concerns among human rights observers and opposition groups, who say the vote was neither free nor fair.

The United Nations and international watchdogs have warned of what they describe as a “pattern of repression” under Hassan’s administration.

Opposition Leaders Barred, Protests Turn Deadly

Ahead of the election, large-scale protests erupted after two of Hassan’s main challengers were barred from running. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu, of the Chadema party, has been jailed for months on treason charges after calling for electoral reforms. Another prominent opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina, was also prevented from contesting.

The UN reported over 200 cases of enforced disappearance since 2019, with experts expressing alarm at the government’s suppression of dissent. The International Crisis Group noted that authorities had “curbed freedom of expression,” including bans on the social media platform X and restrictions on the influential Tanzanian forum JamiiForums.

Chadema denounced the polls as a “coronation,” claiming that more than 700 people were killed during protests across major cities. The government has denied those figures, calling them “wildly exaggerated” and defending its security response as necessary to maintain order.

Internet Shutdowns and Military Deployment

On election day, military units were deployed nationwide and internet access was temporarily cut, disrupting communication and travel. Despite the unrest, Hassan went on to defeat 16 minor-party candidates with an overwhelming majority.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged calm, calling on all sides to “exercise restraint, reject violence, and engage in inclusive dialogue to prevent further escalation.”

Foreign ministers from the UK, Canada, and Norway issued a joint statement citing “credible reports of a large number of fatalities” caused by security forces. Tanzanian authorities have yet to release an official death toll.

A Historic Yet Controversial Victory

Hassan’s historic re-election marks both a symbolic milestone and a moment of deep political tension in Tanzania. Her supporters hail her as a stabilizing leader who has guided the country through a period of transition since Magufuli’s death.

Critics, however, say the election underscores a worrying slide toward authoritarianism. As one opposition spokesperson put it, “What happened was not an election — it was a display of power.”