Tanzania in Turmoil: Protests Erupt Over Disputed Election Results

Tanzania is reeling from a wave of violent protests following Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, which opposition groups have denounced as a sham. Demonstrations have erupted in major cities including Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, and Mwanza, as anger grows over what many describe as the death of democracy in the East African nation.

Hundreds of opposition supporters have even crossed into neighboring Kenya, blocking roads, burning tyres, and tearing down posters of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Kenyan police reported that two people died while fleeing clashes with Tanzanian security forces near the Namanga border, where businesses have been forced to close amid the unrest.

Protesters accuse the government of rigging the election after the main opposition leader was jailed and another prominent challenger was disqualified from running—moves seen as clearing the path for President Samia’s easy victory. The opposition has called the election “a coronation, not a contest,” underscoring the frustration of those who once hoped Tanzania’s first female president would usher in democratic reform.

Tensions soared on Thursday as the electoral commission began releasing results, showing President Samia winning nearly 95% of the vote in Mbeya province and leading in most other regions, including Zanzibar. The European Union’s lawmakers condemned the poll as a “fraud that has been unfolding for months,” citing reports of intimidation and suppression of opposition activities.

Polling day itself was marred by violent clashes between police and demonstrators. Gunfire echoed through the northern city of Mwanza, while Dar es Salaam was placed under tight security with roadblocks and patrols. In Dodoma, protesters and police engaged in running battles throughout the day as tear gas filled the streets.

The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania warned of continued instability, reporting that key routes—including the road to Dar es Salaam’s international airport—remained closed. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes in Mwanza, with crowds scattering under gunfire and several injured people being carried away.

As violence spread, the government ordered civil servants to work from home until Friday, urging calm and blaming “bad characters who wish ill for this country” for the destruction. But for many Tanzanians, the unrest reflects deeper frustrations—disillusionment with stalled reforms, shrinking political freedoms, and a growing sense that their votes no longer matter.

For now, Tanzania stands at a crossroads—its streets burning with anger, its democracy on trial, and its people demanding to be heard