Samia Suluhu Hassan secures second term in Tanzania election
Key Points
- Electoral body says Hassan won with nearly complete support. Opposition insists contest was neither free nor fair.
- Main rivals were jailed or removed before election day. Rights groups say this weakened democratic choice nationwide.
- Protests since Wednesday reportedly left many people dead. Government has not yet confirmed any casualty figures.
Tanzania’s electoral commission has named President Samia Suluhu Hassan the election winner. Officials say she gained almost 98 percent of valid votes cast. The victory secures her a second five-year term in office.
Image credit: Instagram @samia_suluhu_hassanOpposition parties say the poll was fixed to keep CCM in power. They note that key challengers were jailed or disqualified before voting. Reports of unrest, seen also in Tanzania post-election tension report, have raised global concern.
Demonstrations have continued since Wednesday in Dar es Salaam and other cities. Opposition figures allege security forces killed hundreds of protesters. Foreign diplomats say there is credible evidence for high casualty numbers.
Government spokespersons have not confirmed any deaths from the unrest. They urge citizens to await an official security report. Officials instead praised the election as peaceful and orderly.
CCM has ruled Tanzania since independence in 1961. Analysts say today’s result keeps that dominance almost intact. Critics warn that jailing rivals weakens trust in national institutions.
Regional partners are watching the situation closely after reports of mass arrests. Some diplomats privately compare the tension to other security scares in East Africa. See recent African security scare for context on rising alerts.
Opposition leaders now demand a fresh vote under a neutral body. They also call for foreign observers to review detained candidates. The commission insists the process met constitutional rules.
Hassan is expected to address the nation later on Friday. Her speech may seek to calm protests and reassure investors.
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