Tanzania’s President Samia Hassan Wins Disputed Election, Claiming 97% of Vote

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the country’s disputed October 29 election with more than 97% of the vote, amid widespread allegations of repression and electoral manipulation.

The election was marred by violence, protests, and internet disruptions, as demonstrators took to the streets of major cities to denounce what opposition groups described as a sham vote.

The government deployed the military alongside police to quell unrest, and universities were ordered to delay reopening amid continued tensions.

Two of Ms. Hassan’s main challengers were barred or imprisoned, including opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who remains jailed on treason charges, and Luhaga Mpina, disqualified from running.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Office, reported credible accounts of killings, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances both before and after the polls.

Foreign governments such as the UK, Canada, and Norway have condemned the violence, citing “credible reports of numerous fatalities and injuries.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged restraint and called on all parties to prevent further escalation.

Analysts say the result underscores the tight grip of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence in 1961. Ms. Hassan’s sweeping victory; one of the most lopsided in the region extends the party’s decades-long rule and, critics argue, reflects an increasingly authoritarian turn under her leadership.

Despite the unrest, Tanzania’s ruling elite continues to project an image of stability, but the scale of the crackdown and the exclusion of genuine opposition have cast a long shadow over the country’s democratic future.