DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), has vehemently rejected President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s landslide victory in the recent general election, calling the announced results “completely fabricated.”
The rejection follows a vote marred by the exclusion of key challengers and subsequent deadly protests across the East African nation.
CHADEMA, which was barred from participating in the election after refusing to sign a contentious code of conduct, and whose leader Tundu Lissu was previously arrested on treason charges, issued a powerful statement late on Saturday.
“CHADEMA strongly rejects the so-called election results announced by the National Electoral Commission. These results have no basis in reality, as the truth is that no genuine election took place in Tanzania,” the party announced on its official X account.
The party asserted that the widespread civil unrest serves as clear proof of citizens’ dissatisfaction with the electoral process.
“The countrywide demonstrations are clear proof that citizens did not take part in what is being called an election, and that they reject anyone emerging from this flawed electoral process,” the statement added.
Fatal protests and security response
The election, which involved votes for both the presidency and parliament last Wednesday, triggered immediate demonstrations.
Witnesses reported that protesters tore down banners of President Hassan and set fire to government buildings, leading police to respond with tear gas and live ammunition.
The official casualty figures remain disputed. CHADEMA claimed on Friday that hundreds of people had been killed in the protests.
However, the UN human rights office provided a more conservative estimate, reporting that credible sources indicated at least ten deaths across three major cities.
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Demonstrators expressed anger over the electoral commission’s exclusion of Hassan’s two biggest challengers and what human rights groups have denounced as widespread arrests and abductions of political opponents.
The Tanzanian government has dismissed the opposition’s death toll as “hugely exaggerated” and firmly rejected criticisms regarding its human rights record. Reuters was unable to independently verify the casualty figures.
President Suluhu vows to secure the nation
Following her certification as the winner, President Hassan, speaking from the administrative capital Dodoma, condemned the actions of the protesters, describing them as “neither responsible nor patriotic.”
She issued a strong warning regarding the government’s approach to maintaining order. “When it comes to the security of Tanzania, there is no debate – we must use all available security avenues to ensure the country remains safe,” she said.
In response to the unrest, authorities have imposed a nationwide curfew since Wednesday and severely restricted internet access.
The instability has also impacted regional commerce, leading to the cancellation of many international flights and disruptions at Dar es Salaam’s port, a critical hub for fuel imports and mineral exports across the region.
