Tanzania is once again at the center of international attention after its recent general election sparked widespread unrest, allegations of human rights abuses, and a major shake-up in government. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, addressing the nation and her newly appointed Cabinet from State House in Chamwino, Dodoma on November 18, 2025, did not mince words about the gravity of the situation. She acknowledged that the disputed election and subsequent violence had tarnished Tanzania’s international reputation, potentially jeopardizing access to much-needed external financing.
"Our resources are limited, as you know, and we often rely on obtaining them externally through loans from various international institutions and international banks. But what has happened in our country has tainted our reputation, and this may reduce our credibility in accessing loans as easily as we did during the first term of this administration," President Samia warned, as reported by the Eastleigh Voice. She stressed that while Tanzania had previously enjoyed favorable access to funding due to its stability and development record, the recent turmoil could set the country back. "Lakini doa tulilojitia huenda likaturudisha nyuma," she added, emphasizing the need for innovative domestic resource mobilization.
Her comments come on the heels of a highly contentious election, marred by violence, allegations of ballot-box stuffing, and the exclusion of key opposition candidates. According to Al Jazeera, opposition figures, including Chadema party leader Tundu Lissu, were barred from participating. Lissu was later arrested at a rally calling for electoral reforms and charged with treason. The Independent National Electoral Commission also barred Luhaga Mpina, the candidate for the second largest opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, at the behest of the attorney general.
The fallout was immediate and intense. Protests erupted in Dar es Salaam and other cities, with demonstrators expressing outrage at restricted electoral choices and the harassment of opposition figures. Several government offices, police stations, and even the national electricity supply utilities were set ablaze by angry crowds. The government responded by deploying the military, enforcing an internet shutdown, and imposing curfews in restive neighborhoods such as Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya. Despite these measures, hundreds of demonstrators continued to clash with police, demanding electoral reforms and a halt to the announcement of results.
Human rights groups, opposition parties, and the United Nations all weighed in on the violence. Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party, claimed that as many as 700 people were killed in the post-election protests—350 in Dar es Salaam alone, and over 200 in Mwanza. The party said its members had visited hospitals nationwide to compile the figures. However, the government has rejected these numbers as exaggerated. Tanzania's Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, told Al Jazeera that "no excessive force has been used" and that there were "no official figures" confirming protester deaths. "I’ve not seen these 700 anywhere ... There’s no number until now of any protesters killed," Kombo insisted, though he did acknowledge "pockets of violence" and vandalism against government property.
The United Nations, meanwhile, reported that credible sources indicated at least 10 deaths at the hands of security forces. UN human rights spokesperson Seif Magango called on Tanzanian authorities to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force, including lethal weapons, against protesters. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres went further, calling for an investigation into the allegations of excessive force and expressing deep concern about reports of enforced disappearances and detentions in the lead-up to the elections.
One of the most tragic stories to emerge from the unrest was that of John Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher at Sky School in Kinondoni District. According to Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Ogutu was shot dead on October 29, 2025, at around 7 p.m. during the protests. Despite extensive efforts to locate his body in Tanzanian hospitals and mortuaries, he remains missing. "To date, and based on the information received from the Kenyan missions in Arusha and Dar es Salaam, there has been one confirmed death of a Kenyan national linked to the unrest surrounding 29th October 2025," Mudavadi told Kenya’s National Assembly, as reported by Citizen Digital. He confirmed that two Kenyans remain detained by Tanzanian authorities, though all other detained Kenyans had been released after government intervention.
Mudavadi also noted that the protests did not significantly impact Kenyan businesses in Tanzania. He revealed that approximately 5,503 Kenyans reside in the country, a testament to the growing labor mobility between the two East African neighbors. Amid the chaos, nearly 340 people were arrested and charged with treason, according to court records. President Samia responded by urging legal leniency for the youths charged and launching a commission inquiry into the killings. In her first address to the 13th Parliament, she said, "Ninatambua kuwa vijana wengi waliokamatwa na kushtakiwa kwa makosa ya uhaini hawakujua wanachofanya... Kwa wale ambao wanaonekana walifuata mkumbo na hawakudhamiria kufanya uhalifu, wawafutie makosa yao."
Yet, the opposition remains deeply skeptical of the government’s intentions. Chadema has outright rejected the presidential commission set to probe the killings, calling it a "scheme to hide the truth, erase evidence and further harm the victims." The party argued that the commission could not be impartial when the government itself was the primary suspect in the alleged crimes. This distrust was echoed by international observers, who have repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the events.
In the midst of this turmoil, President Samia unveiled a new Cabinet on November 17, 2025, a move that sparked additional controversy. She appointed her daughter, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, as Deputy Minister of Education and her son-in-law, Mohammed Mchengerwa, as Minister of Health. These appointments have fueled accusations of nepotism and consolidation of power within her inner circle, especially from opposition figures and civil society groups. Other notable appointments included Ridhiwani Jakaya Kikwete, son of former President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, as minister for Public Service Management and Good Governance, and the creation of a new Ministry of Youth Development under Joel Nanauka.
President Samia’s message to her ministers was clear: Tanzania can no longer rely on external partners for development. "Therefore, we have the task of raising funds locally, using the resources God has given us. We will consider which methods to use to obtain money to implement our projects," she said, underscoring the urgent need for self-reliance amid dwindling international goodwill.
As Tanzania grapples with the fallout from its disputed election, the path forward remains fraught with challenges. The government faces mounting pressure—both at home and abroad—to deliver justice for victims, restore public trust, and steer the nation back toward stability and economic growth. For now, the eyes of the region and the world remain fixed on Dodoma, waiting to see whether President Samia’s promises of reform and accountability will translate into meaningful change.