Samia Suluhu Hassan Secures 98% Victory in Tanzania Election Amidst Unrest

Sat Nov 01 2025 22:49:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan claims 98% of the vote in a controversial election shadowed by violence and protests, leading to international scrutiny over the electoral process.

Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the Tanzania presidential election with 98% of the vote, according to the electoral commission. However, the election process has been marred by allegations of lack of transparency, unrest leading to numerous casualties, and a nationwide internet shutdown making the verification of incidents difficult. The opposition claims widespread fraud and suppression of dissent as protests erupt across the country.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania's presidential election, securing another term in office amid days of unrest across the country.

According to the electoral commission, Samia won 98% of the votes, nearly sweeping the 32 million ballots cast in Wednesday's election.

International observers have expressed concern over the lack of transparency and widespread turmoil that has reportedly left hundreds dead and many injured.

The nationwide internet shutdown is making it difficult to verify the death toll. The government is downplaying the scale of the violence, while authorities have extended a curfew to quell the unrest.

I hereby announce Samia Suluhu Hassan as the winner of the presidential election under the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, Jacobs Mwambegele, the electoral chief, announced on Saturday morning.

In Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, outgoing president Hussein Mwinyi also won with nearly 80% of the vote. However, the opposition accused him of massive fraud. Protests continued, with unrest reported in various cities including Dar es Salaam.

Young demonstrators have taken to the streets denouncing the election as unfair, citing government suppression of main opposition leaders. Reports estimate around 700 deaths from clashes, and credible evidence suggests at least 500 could have died.

Despite the unrest, the government's Foreign Minister described the incidents as isolated, claiming security forces acted swiftly.

Samia, Tanzania's first female president, rose to power in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli and has faced ongoing criticism for her administration's handling of political dissent and human rights issues.