Tensions in Tanzania reached a boiling point on Friday after hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police in Dar es Salaam, demanding that the National Electoral Commission suspend the release of results from Wednesday’s national elections. The protests, which have since spread to other regions, prompted a military deployment and an internet shutdown as authorities moved to contain the unrest.
The opposition has rejected the early election results, particularly in Zanzibar, where the commission declared incumbent President Hussein Mwinyi the winner with 78.8% of the vote. Opposition leaders dismissed the outcome as “massively rigged,” accusing the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party of undermining democracy by barring key opposition candidates from contesting.
“Tanzanians have been denied a real choice,” one senior opposition figure told reporters, vowing that the coalition would announce its next course of action soon.
Military Deployed as Violence Spreads
A senior security source confirmed to AFP that the Tanzanian army has been mobilised to assist police in quelling the unrest, particularly in Dar es Salaam, where protests have persisted for three consecutive days. Demonstrators, mostly youths, took to the streets to denounce what they described as harassment of opposition leaders and a one-sided election lacking credible alternatives.
Several vehicles, a gas station, and police posts were set ablaze during the chaos, as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
Casualties and Widening Crackdown
While the government has yet to release an official statement on casualties or property damage, Amnesty International reported that at least two people were killed during the initial wave of protests on Wednesday. Opposition figures in exile have claimed the toll is higher and have begun mobilising online campaigns to rally international attention.
Government Response and University Closures
In response to the escalating unrest, authorities have postponed the reopening of universities that had been scheduled for Monday. Army Chief General Jacob John Mkunda condemned the violence, affirming that the military would “work closely with other security agencies to restore calm and ensure public safety.”
Fears of a Deepening Crisis
As state television continues to broadcast results heavily favouring the CCM, concerns are mounting that the crisis could worsen without open dialogue between the government and opposition. Many Tanzanians both at home and abroad have expressed fears that the situation could spiral further if transparency and reconciliation efforts are not urgently initiated.
