Protests have erupted across Tanzania following a fiercely contested general election, with scenes of violence, military deployment, and widespread disruption reported in multiple cities. The unrest, which began on October 29, 2025, has continued into a second day, drawing sharp condemnation from international observers and human rights organizations. At the heart of the turmoil is a presidential race that many Tanzanians and outside critics have called a sham, as the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party appears set to extend its decades-long grip on power with President Samia Suluhu Hassan leading by a landslide.
According to the Associated Press, the protests broke out almost immediately after polls closed on October 29. Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital, as well as other major cities including Dodoma and Mwanza. The government’s response was swift and severe: a nationwide internet blackout was imposed, a curfew declared in Dar es Salaam, and the military was deployed with roadblocks set up across the country. Public servants were ordered to work from home in an effort to limit nonessential movement and contain the unrest.
The spark for these demonstrations was the exclusion of the country’s main opposition leaders from the ballot. The Independent National Electoral Commission had disqualified Chadema, the principal opposition party, back in April 2025 for refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, was arrested at a rally where he called for electoral reforms and has since been charged with treason. Luhaga Mpina, the candidate for ACT-Wazalendo, the second largest opposition party, was also barred from running following a complaint from the attorney general. This left President Hassan facing only 16 minor candidates, none of whom had significant public support or campaign visibility.
The electoral body announced on October 30 via state television that President Hassan had taken an early and commanding lead, securing 96.99% of the votes in the first eight out of 272 constituencies tallied. In the south-western Mbea province, she was reported to have nearly 95% of the vote, and similar margins were seen in other regions. According to the BBC, this overwhelming advantage has only intensified accusations that the election was not a genuine contest but rather a "coronation not a contest." The CCM, in power since independence in 1961, has never lost an election.
Polling day itself was marred by violence and chaos. Protesters set fire to polling stations, burned a bus and a gas station, attacked police stations, and vandalized electoral centers. Amnesty International reported that two people—a civilian and a police officer—had died during the initial day of protests. The organization’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, called the deaths "deeply disturbing" and demanded accountability: "The Tanzanian authorities must promptly conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the unlawful use of lethal force against protesters, and the perpetrators must be held accountable." The government has yet to comment on the casualties.
Security forces have not hesitated to use force. In Dar es Salaam, police fired tear gas and gunshots to disperse crowds, particularly in neighborhoods like Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya. The BBC described scenes of burning tyres on main roads and reported that hospitals, such as Muhimbili Hospital, saw an influx of wounded patients. In the border town of Namanga, which sits on the frontier with Kenya, police fired tear gas as protesters lit bonfires and engaged in running battles with security forces. Businesses in this usually bustling town were brought to a standstill, and ferry services to Zanzibar were suspended.
Despite the government’s attempts to stifle communication, including the internet blackout, protesters found ways to organize. According to Al Jazeera, many turned to the walkie-talkie app Zello to coordinate marches and share information. One protester, captured in a video verified by the outlet, shouted, "We have been silent for so long. What have we been doing?" Even with roads to key infrastructure like the Julius Nyerere International Airport blocked—a fact confirmed by a US embassy security alert—demonstrators persisted, sometimes breaching security barriers, although they were unable to enter the airport itself.
International reactions have been swift and critical. Lawmakers from the European Parliament declared on October 30 that the Tanzanian elections were "neither free nor fair" and urged democratic partners to "stand firm in the defense of democracy and human rights." The European Union went so far as to call the election a "fraud that had been unfolding for months." Human Rights Watch and a panel of nine United Nations experts have also sounded alarms over political repression and election-related violence for months, citing a pattern of escalating attacks, disappearances, and torture of critics. In September, Human Rights Watch documented at least 10 recent instances of politically motivated assault, harassment, abduction, and torture, as well as "extensive restrictions" on media and civil society organizations.
President Hassan, who took office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, was initially praised for easing some political repression. However, rights groups say the political space has since narrowed dramatically. Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, a Human Rights Watch Africa researcher, warned in September that Tanzania’s October elections were at "great risk." She urged authorities to "stop muzzling dissenting voices and the media and instead engage in meaningful reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections."
The unrest has spilled over into neighboring Kenya, with hundreds of Tanzanian protesters crossing the border and barricading roads. Kenyan police reported two deaths after individuals fled running battles with Tanzanian security forces. The Kenyan government has warned its citizens not to join protests at the border town of Namanga, and tensions remain high in the region.
As the situation continues to develop, the government has maintained a heavy security presence, with the military and police manning roadblocks and enforcing curfews. Civil servants have been told to work from home until at least October 31. With internet connectivity still severely disrupted, Amnesty International has warned that restricting access to information could further inflame the situation, and has called on authorities to restore communications and respect the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and free expression.
For many Tanzanians, the 2025 election has become a flashpoint for long-simmering grievances about political exclusion, repression, and the lack of genuine democratic choice. Whether the government will heed international calls for restraint and reform remains uncertain, but the events of this week have left little doubt that the country stands at a dangerous crossroads.
