President Samia Hassan Begins Second Term Under Tight Security
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania took the oath of office for a second term in front of a lot of people and with a lot of security. Instead of the usual public stadium, the event was held in a military parade field in Dodoma.
Officials said people couldn’t go to the event because it wasn’t safe, and they only showed it on state television. The opposition slammed the decision as another example of political oppression and a lack of openness.
Source: BBC
Election Results Face Rejection and Allegations of Fraud
The electoral commission said Samia won with 98% of the national vote, which made opposition organizations very angry. Candidates that were running against one another were either put in jail or disqualified; thus, there wasn’t any real rivalry throughout the campaign.
International observers said the process was bad because there was a lot of intimidation, ballot tampering, and voter suppression. Opposition leaders called the election a political coronation instead of a real democratic process.
Observers Report Violence and Restrictions Across Tanzania
The Southern African Development Community sent election monitors to say that many voters were not allowed to express their democratic will. There were reports of ballot stuffing, forced voting, and large arrests in important areas.
Opposition leaders said that battles with security forces killed hundreds of people. A diplomatic source said that there is reliable proof that at least 500 people died as a result of violence after the election.
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Internet Shutdown Fuels Concerns Over Transparency and Access
The Tanzanian authorities shut down the internet across the whole country starting on election day and extending for several days. Even after the polls closed, social media sites and communication services were still limited.
Human rights groups stated that the blackout hid numerous violations and made it harder to check official statistics. During the crisis, some said they couldn’t get in touch with relatives or use important communication networks.
Families Plead For Missing Relatives Amid Civil Unrest
A lot of Tanzanians informed the news that they hadn’t been able to get in touch with loved ones since the election. One mother stated she hadn’t seen her two boys in almost a week and was worried about their safety.
Others said they were stuck in remote regions because of broken transportation networks and a lack of food. Prices for petrol and basic goods have gone up sharply all around the country because of inflation and panic purchasing.
Global Leaders Call For Calm And Democratic Accountability
Leaders from the United Nations, the European Union, and Africa encouraged Tanzanian officials to stop the violence and restore calm in the streets. Pope Leo XIV asked people to pray for the victims and labeled the violence a humanitarian disaster.
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, said he was very worried by allegations of murders and missing people. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy leader, called for prudence and responsibility in order to save lives and restore faith in democracy.
Opposition Demands Fresh Poll as Crisis Deepens
The Chadema party, which is in the opposition, said the election results were baseless and disconnected from reality. It has asked for an impartial inquiry and a repeat vote that would be watched by people from other countries.
President Samia said she was sorry about the incident but applauded the electoral commission for being unquestionably efficient. People who don’t like her feel her comments don’t do enough to calm down resentment over repression and alleged governmental violations.
