Frontier Correspondent
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
Protests broke out across Tanzania today as citizens voted in a general election widely viewed as a foregone conclusion, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan running virtually unopposed after major opposition parties were barred from participating.
Low voter turnout and boycott calls underscored growing public apathy toward a process many described as predetermined.
Polling stations opened nationwide at 7 a.m. for the presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections, but the day was marred by scattered unrest and a nationwide internet shutdown that disrupted communication and independent monitoring.
Samia, 65, cast her vote early in Dodoma and urged citizens to “come out and exercise their right.” She is seeking her first full term after assuming office in 2021 following the death of former president John Magufuli.
In Dar es Salaam and other cities, small groups of protesters blocked roads and clashed with police, chanting anti-government slogans. Security forces responded with tear gas and arrests as tensions flared.
Tanzanian youth protest on election day.
The unrest followed months of political crackdowns. The main opposition party, Chadema, was disqualified after refusing to sign the electoral code of conduct, while its leader Tundu Lissu remains in custody on treason charges. ACT-Wazalendo’s candidate was also barred, leaving Hassan facing only minor-party challengers with limited support.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International and UN human rights experts, have condemned the election environment, citing enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on the press. Freedom House recently downgraded Tanzania’s status to “Not Free,” pointing to shrinking civil liberties.
Although the Independent National Electoral Commission registered more than 37 million voters, turnout appeared thin in major cities, where many citizens stayed home in silent protest or frustration.
Preliminary results are expected within three days, but analysts say the lack of genuine competition, low turnout, and the day’s unrest have already cast a shadow over the credibility of the vote.