Protests have erupted in several Tanzanian cities as opposition supporters denounce Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, alleging widespread fraud and manipulation.
Demonstrators have taken to the streets in major urban centers, with some crossing into Kenyan territory where they blocked roads, lit bonfires, and tore down posters of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Kenyan police confirmed two deaths following violent clashes involving Tanzanian protesters and security forces at the border.
The demonstrations were triggered by claims that the government had suppressed democracy by imprisoning the main opposition leader and disqualifying another candidate, moves critics say were aimed at ensuring President Samia’s re-election.
Tensions deepened on Thursday after the electoral commission began releasing results showing Samia with nearly 95 percent of the votes in Mbea Province, with similar leads reported across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
European Union lawmakers have described the vote as “a fraud that had been unfolding for months,” while observers reported multiple incidents of violence and intimidation on election day.
In a statement, Tanzania’s military chief, Gen Jacob Mkunda, blamed “ill-intentioned individuals” for causing destruction during the polls. Gunfire was heard in Mwanza, while clashes were reported in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, where roads were sealed off under tight security.
Kenyan authorities have cautioned their citizens against joining protests near the Namanga border, where commercial activity has been paralyzed.
Security forces in Tanzania fired tear gas to disperse protesters, leading to hours of confrontation. The U.S. Embassy reported that several key roads, including the one leading to Dar es Salaam’s international airport, remained closed on Thursday.
An eyewitness in Mwanza told the BBC that hundreds of protesters poured into the city before security forces opened fire and launched tear gas, injuring several people.
The government has instructed public servants to work from home until Friday as tensions mount nationwide.
Amnesty International expressed concern over reports that a civilian and a police officer were killed in clashes, calling the situation “deeply troubling.”
Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in Dar es Salaam, where hospitals, including Muhimbili, are reportedly receiving dozens of injured protesters.
Internet access remains heavily restricted across the country, with Amnesty urging the government to restore connectivity to avoid escalating the crisis. Protesters have reportedly turned to a walkie-talkie app, Zello, to coordinate their actions.
President Samia is widely expected to secure a second term as key opposition figures remain sidelined. Her ruling party, which has governed Tanzania since independence, is also projected to maintain its dominance.
Opposition leader Tundu Lissu remains in custody on treason charges he denies, while ACT-Wazalendo candidate Luhaga Mpina was disqualified on technical grounds. Sixteen smaller parties with little public backing were cleared to participate in the vote.
President Samia, who assumed office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, initially earned praise for easing political restrictions but now faces accusations of suppressing dissent through arrests and abductions.
Tanzania’s internet blackout entered its third day on Friday as reports of renewed protests surfaced and opposition groups in Zanzibar rejected the results of the recent elections.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose administration faces accusations of political repression, is alleged to have tightened her grip on power through a widely uncontested vote in which key opponents were either imprisoned or disqualified.
Wednesday’s election sparked widespread chaos, with hundreds of protesters taking to the streets of Dar es Salaam and other major cities. Demonstrators tore down campaign posters, attacked polling stations, and clashed with police, prompting authorities to impose a curfew and shut down internet access nationwide.
Foreign journalists were barred from covering the polls, and the ongoing communications blackout has made it difficult to verify reports from the ground.
Residents in the towns of Sinza and the capital, Dodoma, told AFP that demonstrations continued late Thursday, with protesters burning tyres in defiance of security forces.
Unconfirmed reports suggest several fatalities, but hospitals and clinics have declined to comment, citing fear of reprisals.
Local media outlets have not been updated since Wednesday, and President Hassan has yet to address the escalating unrest.
The only official comment so far came from Army Chief Gen. Jacob Mkunda, who described the protesters as “criminals” in a statement issued late Thursday.
In Zanzibar, a popular tourist destination, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ruling party was declared winner of Thursday’s local elections, a result the opposition has fiercely rejected.
The opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, accused the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of rigging the vote, claiming, “They have robbed the people of Zanzibar of their voice. The only solution to deliver justice is through a fresh election.”
A senior ACT-Wazalendo official told AFP that ballot boxes were stuffed, voters were allowed to cast multiple ballots without identification, and party observers were expelled from counting centers.
The CCM was expected to hold a press briefing later in the day to address the allegations.
At an opposition meeting point in Zanzibar, frustration and fear were palpable. “There has never been a credible election since 1995,” said a 70-year-old man, referring to the country’s first multi-party poll. Others declined to share their names, expressing fear of reprisals. “We are afraid of speaking because they might come to our houses and pick us up,” one said.
Analysts say President Hassan has faced internal opposition from sections of the military and allies of her late predecessor, John Magufuli, since assuming office in 2021. They believe she sought a decisive victory to consolidate her power.
Ahead of the election, authorities banned the main opposition party, Chadema, and charged its leader with treason.
