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The streets of Tanzania were once again filled with hundreds of Tanzanians on Thursday, marking the second day of protests sparked by a highly contested election that has raised alarms both locally and internationally. According to Amnesty International, at least two individuals—a civilian and a police officer—lost their lives amid the unrest.
The protests kicked off on Wednesday, leading the government to cut off internet access across the country, impose a citywide curfew, and deploy military forces to restore order.
The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which has held power since Tanzania gained independence in 1961, aimed to extend its long-standing rule in the recent election. However, the process was riddled with controversy, as major opposition parties found themselves sidelined after their presidential candidates were either imprisoned or disqualified.
Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan faced off against 16 lesser-known challengers from smaller parties, many of whom hardly campaigned at all. Voter turnout seemed low, and as the day wore on, tensions began to rise. By the afternoon, chaos erupted—fires were set at a bus and a petrol station, police stations were attacked, and polling centres were vandalised.
Even with the government enforcing a curfew in Dar es Salaam, where most of the unrest unfolded, protests continued well into the night. On Thursday morning, public servants were told to work from home to limit movement throughout the city.
Military checkpoints were established on major roads nationwide, with soldiers reportedly turning away anyone who couldn’t prove they were essential workers. In a particularly tense moment, protesters managed to breach security barriers near the main road to the country’s primary airport but were stopped from advancing any further.
Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the use of force by security personnel against the demonstrators.
In the meantime, ferry services that link mainland Tanzania to the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar—where the announcement of election results is anticipated—have been put on hold due to concerns about potential violence.
Tanzanians cast their votes for the presidency, parliamentary seats, and local council positions in an election that opposition leaders have criticised as neither free nor fair.
Tundu Lissu, the leading opposition figure, is still behind bars on treason charges after advocating for electoral reforms, while Luhaga Mpina, the presidential candidate from the country’s second-largest opposition party, was completely barred from running in the election.
As unrest spreads and uncertainty grows, Tanzania is facing one of its most turbulent political periods in recent history.
