Frontier Correspondent
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Tanzanian authorities have imposed a citywide curfew in Dar es Salaam after violent protests marred voting in the country’s general election, which has been overshadowed by opposition boycotts, arrests, and a nationwide internet blackout.
The curfew, announced by Inspector General of Police Camillus Wambura, took effect at 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) and will remain in force indefinitely “to restore order” following clashes in several neighborhoods, including Kimara and Ubungo.
Protesters torched a bus and a gas station while blocking major highways to demand electoral reforms and an end to political repression.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds but were forced to retreat as demonstrators hurled stones. Several people were injured, though officials have not released casualty figures.
The Tanzanian military has since deployed armored vehicles across major cities to reinforce security.
The U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam urged its citizens to shelter in place, warning of “countrywide unrest.”
Compounding the crisis, internet connectivity across Tanzania was severely restricted from early morning, with monitoring group NetBlocks describing the disruption as a “nationwide digital blackout.” Social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp were largely inaccessible without VPNs, mirroring tactics used during previous elections. Authorities have not commented on the shutdown, prompting accusations of censorship and attempts to suppress protest coordination.
The unrest follows weeks of tension after the disqualification of opposition leaders Tundu Lissu of the Chadema party and Freeman Mbowe of ACT-Wazalendo on what critics call politically motivated charges. Both parties boycotted the vote, denouncing it as a “coronation” for President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking a second term.
Voter turnout appeared low in Dar es Salaam, with several polling centers nearly empty amid fear and frustration. More than 37 million Tanzanians were eligible to cast ballots for president, parliament, and local government seats.
Rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the elections, citing ongoing abductions of activists and over 200 enforced disappearances since 2019.
Suluhu, in power since 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, has campaigned on infrastructure growth and universal health coverage under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which has governed since independence.
As night fell under curfew, the once-bustling streets of Dar es Salaam fell silent—an uneasy calm masking deep political discontent that shows little sign of fading.