Samia Suluhu Secures Second Term Amid Electoral Chaos and Rising Tensions in Tanzania   

Dar es Salaam - Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured her second and final term amid electoral chaos and disputes in Tanzania, with most parts of the country remaining fragile as the opposition accused her of dictatorship.

In an election where her main opponent, Tundu Lissu, was barred from running, having been in prison over prison charges, Suluhu scored 98% of the votes with her Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) securing 270 parliamentary seats out of the possible 272.

The electoral commission announced the results on Saturday, with Suluhu dominating in every constituency. State media said a swearing-in ceremony would take place later on Saturday.

Despite a heavy security presence, election day descended into chaos, with some demonstrators tearing down banners of Hassan and setting fire to government buildings, and police firing tear gas and gunshots, according to reports quoting witnesses.

On Friday, the main opposition party, Chadema, which was barred from contesting, having failed to sign the electoral code as they called for reforms, told AFP news agency that “about 700” people had been killed, based on figures gathered from a network checking hospitals and health clinics.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera on Friday that the authorities have acted appropriately and the election was conducted fairly. The United Nations humanitarian teams said at least 10 people were killed.

“No excessive force has been used,” he told Al Jazeera, saying the government has “no official figures” on any protesters killed. “I’ve not seen these 700 anywhere.”

Samia Suluhu Hassan became president in 2021, a few months after John Pombe Magufuli had secured a second term. Since she took over with more than a year left, the constitution dictates that the term was counted as per the law.

Chadema leader Tundu Lissu has been jailed for months, charged with treason after he called for electoral reforms that he said were a prerequisite for free and fair elections. He denies the charges. Another opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo group, was barred from running.

Rights groups allege Hassan oversaw a “wave of terror” in the country before the vote, including a string of high-profile abductions that escalated in the final days. The government has rejected criticisms of its human rights record.

Hassan has not made any public statement since the unrest began.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Tanzania, “including reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations”, his spokesman said in a statement.

GAROWE ONLINE