DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Deadly protests over Tanzania’s disputed presidential election entered a third day on Friday, October 31, 2025, amid growing fears that the death toll could run into the hundreds as security forces clash with demonstrators across the country.
Unrest erupted on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, after early election tallies showed President Samia Suluhu Hassan with a commanding lead.
By Thursday, October 30, 2025, the electoral commission reported she had secured 96.99 percent of votes in eight of 272 constituencies counted.
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, authorities formally declared Hassan the winner with 97.66 percent of the vote and turnout near 87 percent — figures rejected by the opposition and questioned by observers, who reported disruptions at polling stations.
The results sparked widespread protests, with demonstrators alleging fraud, suppression of opponents, and exclusion of Hassan’s major challengers from the ballot.
CHADEMA, the main opposition party, was disqualified from the race in April after refusing to sign a code of conduct, while its leader, Tundu Lissu, faces treason charges.
ACT-Wazalendo’s candidate was also barred, leaving only smaller parties in the contest.
A diplomatic source told the BBC there is “credible evidence” that at least 500 people have been killed in the unrest — a figure echoed by some local reports estimating more than 700 deaths.
Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office cited at least 10 confirmed deaths across three cities, saying the actual toll was likely higher.
Reuters reported heavy military and police presence in Dar es Salaam, where soldiers and officers have patrolled the streets since Wednesday, October 29, 2025,
Witnesses described clashes between protesters and security forces, including tear gas and gunfire, and said demonstrators tore down campaign banners and set government buildings ablaze.
Tanzania’s military chief, Jacob Mkunda, labelled the demonstrators “criminals”, saying the army had “controlled the situation” and calling on citizens to end the unrest.
The government has imposed a nationwide curfew for three consecutive nights and sharply restricted internet access, limiting independent verification of casualty figures and protest scenes.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo dismissed reports of mass casualties as “hugely exaggerated”, insisting only “very few small pockets of incidents” occurred.
President Hassan, 65, has denied claims of widespread abuses.
After taking office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, she initially won praise for easing political repression but has since faced criticism over alleged arrests and abductions of opponents.
In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for “a thorough and impartial investigation into all allegations of excessive use of force” and expressed deep concern over the reported loss of life.
The crisis comes days before Tanzania is set to host the C40 World Mayors Summit and the Earthshot Prize awards on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, events now overshadowed by the escalating violence.
With communication systems disrupted and journalists unable to freely report, the full scale of the unrest remains unclear.
For now, a country once praised for stability is confronting one of its most turbulent political moments in decades.
