Tanzania undergoes widespread violence, protests amid general election
(MENAFN) Widespread violence and protests have broken out in Dar es Salaam and several other Tanzanian cities following a contested general election, with large crowds clashing with security forces as internet access was cut nationwide.
According to reports, police in Dar es Salaam fired live ammunition and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators during clashes on Wednesday and Thursday. Human rights monitors cited by media outlets reported at least two deaths as unrest spread across the country.
Authorities have since ordered civil servants to remain at home, while the US Embassy warned of major road closures, including routes leading to Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Tanzania’s police chief, Camelius Wambura, announced the imposition of a curfew beginning at 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT) and urged residents to stay indoors. He did not specify when the restrictions would be lifted. Meanwhile, monitoring organization NetBlocks described the simultaneous internet outage as a “nationwide digital blackout.”
The unrest followed the October 29 general election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan, representing the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, sought her first full term in office. However, the vote was marred by the disqualification of major opposition candidates, raising accusations of political repression.
The main opposition party, CHADEMA, was barred from participation in April after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, and its leader Tundu Lissu was subsequently charged with treason. Another opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, was also disqualified, a decision his party condemned as “baseless.”
President Hassan, who assumed power in March 2021 following the death of former President John Magufuli, is now seeking to secure a full five-year mandate through this election after completing Magufuli’s remaining term.
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