Tanzania has plunged into chaos following a highly contested general election that saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared the winner with nearly 98% of the vote, a result widely rejected by opposition parties and international observers. The election, held on October 29, 2025, was marred by allegations of voter suppression, intimidation, and the disqualification of key opposition figures, including candidates from Chadema and ACT-Wazalendo, raising doubts over its credibility.

As results were announced, mass protests erupted across major cities including Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza, with thousands of citizens demanding a rerun of what they called a “sham election.” Security forces responded with force — deploying tear gas, live ammunition, and mass arrests. Opposition leaders claim that hundreds have been killed and many more injured, though the government has downplayed the violence, describing it as “isolated incidents.”

The unrest has prompted widespread condemnation from human rights groups, who accuse the government of using excessive force and stifling free speech. Reports also indicate an internet shutdown and a nighttime curfew, as authorities attempt to curb the growing demonstrations. Tanzania’s opposition coalition has rejected the results outright, vowing to continue peaceful resistance until “the people’s will is restored.”

Meanwhile, rumors have circulated online claiming that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has fled the country amid the escalating crisis. However, no credible evidence has supported this claim — government sources insist that she remains in Dar es Salaam and is fully in control. International organizations, including the United Nations and the African Union, have called for calm, urging Tanzanian authorities to ensure transparency and protect citizens’ rights.

The ongoing unrest marks one of the most serious political crises in Tanzania’s recent history, threatening to destabilize a nation once seen as one of East Africa’s most stable democracies.