For decades, Tanzania cultivated a reputation as one of East Africa’s most peaceful and stable nations. Its sprawling game parks, the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, and a carefully nurtured image of unity drew tourists and international investors alike. But the aftermath of the October 29, 2025, presidential election has shattered that perception, plunging the country into a period of unrest, international scrutiny, and soul-searching about its future.
As Tanzanians went to the polls that October morning, the air was already thick with tension. Youth in Dar es Salaam, the country’s largest city, poured into the streets, protesting what they described as widespread electoral irregularities, the suppression of opposition parties, and persistent police harassment. These demonstrations, echoing the mobilizations of Generation Z in other African cities, quickly spread to towns across the nation, according to Religion News Service. Security forces responded with chilling force—firing tear gas and live bullets at the crowds, a response that would have far-reaching consequences.
Within days, the violence escalated dramatically. Reports from religious leaders and opposition parties told of hundreds killed in the crackdown, with the main opposition party, Chadema, claiming the death toll could be as high as 2,000. The government, for its part, has never released an official number. The Catholic Church, a powerful voice in Tanzania’s civil society, stated that some victims were not even protesters but were “hunted and killed inside their homes” by government agents. “That cannot be explained at all,” said Catholic Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi during a memorial Mass in Dar es Salaam. The archbishop’s words were echoed by Charles Kitima, general secretary of the national Catholic bishops’ conference, who lamented, “The government has not given the official numbers. It has not condemned the killings or admitted the truth.”
As the unrest unfolded, President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the election with a staggering 97.66%—some reports put the figure at 98%—defeating 16 candidates from smaller parties. The main opposition parties, however, had been barred from the ballot, and their leaders either disqualified or arrested. Tundu Lissu, the prominent Chadema leader, was detained on treason charges, a non-bailable offense in Tanzania, and remains in custody after his trial was adjourned indefinitely on November 11, 2025, according to PesaCheck. Claims that Lissu had been acquitted and released were debunked as false; he continues to await his fate in prison, intending to challenge the election results.
The government’s heavy-handed approach extended beyond opposition politicians. Religious leaders who spoke out against the violence and alleged electoral fraud found themselves targeted as well. Josephat Gwajima, a Pentecostal bishop and vocal government critic, was ordered to surrender to police for questioning, while Lutheran pastor Eleth Mtaita was arrested after being accused of inciting his congregation. Kitima, himself attacked earlier in the year, warned that the church “would not be silenced. It can only suffer torture.”
With the violence came a clampdown on information. The government imposed a five-day internet blackout, making it nearly impossible for citizens to communicate or for the outside world to verify reports of the unrest. Gruesome images and videos nevertheless found their way online, shocking a nation that had prided itself on calm and order for nearly sixty years. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, demanded an investigation into the killings and expressed concern that security forces may have taken bodies to undisclosed locations. The UN, along with rights groups and opposition parties, estimated that hundreds were likely killed, though the government dismissed these figures as exaggerated.
By the time President Hassan was sworn in on November 3, calm had largely returned to the streets, but the scars of the violence remained. The government announced that approximately 300 people (some sources reported at least 240) had been charged with treason, an offense carrying the death penalty. In a rare public acknowledgment, President Hassan admitted that the unrest had “stained” Tanzania’s global image. “We mostly depend on loans from international creditors, but what happened eroded our global credibility,” she said as she swore in her new cabinet, which notably included her daughter as deputy education minister and her son-in-law as health minister, as reported by the BBC.
Hassan warned that the violence could “set the country back” economically and politically, cautioning her ministers that securing international funding would now be more difficult. Aid accounted for about 23% of government revenue in 2023, but this is on the decline. She urged officials to focus on raising funds domestically and harnessing Tanzania’s natural resources. “For this reason, we must focus on mobilising domestic resources and harnessing our God-given resources,” Hassan told her ministers.
The international response was swift and critical. The African Union’s election observers declared that the poll had failed to meet democratic standards, a sentiment echoed by the United Nations and foreign governments. U.S. senators called for a re-examination of American ties with Tanzania, while the Commonwealth sent former Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera to lead reconciliation efforts. Chakwera’s four-day mission included consultations with government officials, political party leaders, civil society groups, and religious and traditional leaders, in an attempt to chart a path toward dialogue and healing.
Despite the government’s announcement of an official investigation into the unrest, skepticism remains high among Tanzanians and international observers. President Hassan urged prosecutors to consider reducing or dropping charges for those detainees not directly involved in the protests, but many question whether true accountability will be achieved. Archbishop Ruwa’ichi was unequivocal in his message: “Justice is the foundation of peace. I repeat, justice is the true foundation of peace.”
As the dust settles, Tanzania faces a reckoning not just with its political future but with its national identity. The violence and its aftermath have shaken the nation’s confidence and cast a long shadow over its claims to unity and harmony. Religious leaders, opposition figures, and ordinary citizens alike are calling for a program of national healing, while the government promises reconciliation. Whether these promises will be fulfilled remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Tanzania’s image—and its future—hangs in the balance.
