President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania’s highly contested 2025 general election, securing more than 97% of the vote, according to official results announced early Saturday.
The election, held on October 29, was marred by allegations of voter suppression, violence, and restrictions on opposition candidates. Both of Hassan’s main rivals were prevented from running, leaving her largely unchallenged in a vote critics have described as “a coronation rather than a contest.”
Hassan, who first assumed power in 2021 following the death of former President John Pombe Magufuli, received her victory certificate from the National Electoral Commission at an event in Dodoma, the country’s administrative capital.
In her victory speech, she hailed the outcome as a milestone for gender representation in Tanzania. “It is remarkable that Tanzanians have overwhelmingly chosen a woman to lead them,” she said. “Now is the time to unite our country and not destroy what we’ve built over six decades. We will involve all security agencies to ensure the nation remains peaceful.”
Opposition Silenced and Election Unrest
The vote took place amid what rights groups described as the most repressive political climate in Tanzania’s multiparty era.
Tundu Lissu, leader of the main opposition party Chadema, remains in detention on treason charges after calling for electoral reforms. Another prominent opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, was barred from contesting the presidency.
As results were being tallied, protests erupted across major cities including Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro, prompting a heavy response from security forces. The military was deployed to assist police in dispersing demonstrators, and internet access was intermittently cut off, disrupting travel, communication, and business.
The government has not released official casualty figures. However, the U.N. Human Rights Office reported credible accounts of at least 10 deaths linked to the unrest.
U.N. spokesman Seif Magango told a briefing in Geneva that “credible reports indicate fatalities and injuries as a result of the crackdown.”
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the U.K., Canada, and Norway expressed concern over “credible reports of a large number of fatalities and significant injuries resulting from the security response to protests.” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to “prevent further escalation.”
CCM’s Grip on Power
The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has governed Tanzania since independence in 1961, maintaining one of the longest uninterrupted political reigns in Africa.
Analysts say the 2025 result reinforces CCM’s dominance, though it raises questions about the country’s democratic future.
The International Crisis Group described the vote as taking place amid “an unprecedented crackdown on political opponents.” The group noted that the government has curbed freedom of expression through arrests, intimidation, and restrictions on media platforms including a ban on X (formerly Twitter) and constraints on the popular online forum JamiiForums.
A Divided Legacy
Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International have long warned of increasing repression in Tanzania, citing over 200 cases of enforced disappearance since 2019.
Critics argue that Hassan has adopted an authoritarian style that suppresses youth-driven democratic movements, reversing earlier hopes that her presidency would mark a shift toward openness and reform.
Despite the turmoil, Hassan’s supporters credit her with maintaining political stability and economic progress, particularly in rural areas where CCM enjoys deep-rooted loyalty. The party’s well-organized structure, intertwined with state institutions, continues to ensure seamless leadership transitions every few years a key factor behind its enduring strength.
Calm After the Storm
By Saturday, Dar es Salaam remained tense but calm. Roadblocks were manned by soldiers checking identity cards, and universities scheduled to reopen on November 3 remained closed as a precaution.
While Tanzania’s reputation as an “oasis of stability” endures, observers say the 2025 election has exposed the limits of that stability testing whether unity under tight political control can coexist with genuine democratic choice.
