Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan wins second term with over 97% of votes

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured a second term in office, winning 97.66 percent of the vote in the October 29 election, the electoral commission announced on Saturday.
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‎The Electoral Commission Chair, Jacobs Mwambegele, declared Hassan the winner, confirming her dominance across all constituencies. Hassan, who first assumed power in 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, has been elected for a full five-year term to lead over the 68 million people of Tanzania. Her swearing-in ceremony is scheduled later today.
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‎The victory reinforces CCM’s long-standing grip on power, but this election has also ignited unrest. Protests erupted in major cities, with demonstrators rejecting the outcome of the result, claiming it was rigged due to the disqualification of key opposition candidates.
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‎Both the police and the military forces have been deployed to restore order as violence escalated. As a result of this, universities postponed reopening its facilities originally planned for November 3 due to the rising tension.
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‎While Tanzanian officials are yet to provide official figures of people killed during the protest, Seif Magango from the UN human rights office stated that at least 10 people were killed in Dar es Salaam and other cities. Opposition parties also claim the toll is much higher. 
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‎Opposition parties like ACT-Wazalendo faced severe restrictions, with their presidential candidate disqualified.
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‎Supporters praised Hassan, for shifting Tanzania’s policies after Magufuli’s death, reopening the country to foreign investors and reengaging with key financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank. Yet critics accuse her government of continuing to suppress protesters thereby violating human rights.
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