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Police in Tanzania fired tear gas and live rounds on Thursday to disperse demonstrators who returned to the streets a day after a contentious general election marked by violent protests and accusations of political repression.
Witnesses reported that unrest flared again in several parts of the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, and in the northern cities of Arusha and Mwanza, as protesters denounced the exclusion of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s two main challengers from the presidential race.
The demonstrations, which began on Wednesday, quickly turned violent, with government offices and other buildings set ablaze, prompting police to impose an overnight curfew across Dar es Salaam a city of more than seven million people.
Internet access, which had been disrupted during the election, was reported to be returning intermittently on Thursday.
Tito Magoti, a Tanzanian human rights activist, told Reuters he had received reports of at least five deaths in Wednesday’s protests. A diplomatic source, who requested anonymity, said there were credible accounts suggesting that at least ten people had been killed in Dar es Salaam. Reuters could not independently verify the casualty figures, and officials from the government and police did not respond to requests for comment.
The state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation began airing provisional election results showing President Hassan with commanding majorities in several constituencies.
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Renewed Unrest and Widening Tensions
On Thursday, dozens of demonstrators returned to at least three neighbourhoods in Dar es Salaam, where police again fired tear gas and gunshots to disperse crowds, a Reuters witness said. Smaller protests were also reported in Arusha and Mwanza.
The British government announced the cancellation of international flights to and from Dar es Salaam, while airports in Arusha and near Mount Kilimanjaro were temporarily closed. The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania advised its citizens to shelter in place, citing high risks associated with road travel.
“The people are rewriting our political culture from being cows, if I use this word respectfully to being active citizens,” Magoti said, reflecting growing defiance among protesters.
Challenge for Hassan’s Leadership
The unrest poses a significant test for President Hassan, who initially earned international praise after taking office in 2021 for easing some of the political restrictions imposed by her predecessor, John Magufuli.
However, in recent years, opposition figures and rights groups have accused her government of renewed crackdowns, including the alleged abduction of critics. Hassan announced last year that she had ordered an investigation into such claims, though no official report has yet been released.
Government Response and Opposition Anger
In response to the unrest, the government extended its work-from-home directive for civil servants through Friday, warning residents to stay indoors unless travel was essential.
The main opposition party, CHADEMA, had earlier called for nationwide protests during the general election, which also included parliamentary and local polls, as well as votes in the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago.
CHADEMA was disqualified from the race in April after refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct, while its leader, Tundu Lissu, faced treason charges. The candidate of another major opposition group, ACT-Wazalendo, was also barred, leaving only minor parties to contest against President Hassan.
The unfolding crisis underscores growing political tensions in Tanzania, as the country faces mounting pressure to restore calm, transparency, and public trust in its democratic process.
