Tanzania's Presidential Election Marred by Violence and Widespread Protests

Strategic Insights -

Tanzania has been plagued by violence and widespread protests after the country's presidential election, with many people killed and injured. The election, held on Wednesday, was won by President Samia Suluhu Hassan with nearly 98 percent of the total votes cast, but the victory has been met with skepticism by election monitors and members of the European Parliament, who have questioned the election's integrity. The opposition has accused the government of rigging the election, and tensions have been running high since the main opposition candidates were disqualified from running.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the presidential election with nearly 98 percent of the total votes cast, a landslide victory that has been met with widespread protests.
  • Election monitors and members of the European Parliament have questioned the election's integrity, citing reports of electoral irregularities and the obstruction of observers.
  • The opposition has accused the government of rigging the election, with many people killed and injured in protests across the country.
  • The Tanzanian government has denied using excessive force in responding to the demonstrations, but the United Nations' human rights commission has reported at least 10 deaths.
  • Brenda Rupia, a spokeswoman for the opposition party Chadema, estimated that 200 people had been killed in the protests, and called on the military to take power to oversee the annulment of the election.
  • The military has threatened to take action against the protesters, who have been accused of being criminals.
  • The protests have been fueled by underlying economic discontent, including high youth unemployment.
  • The opposition party Chadema has called for an election boycott, but the scale of the demonstrations has stunned the party.
  • A 6 p.m. curfew has been in force in the country's largest city, Dar es Salaam, since the election.

Statistics:

  • Nearly 98% of the total votes cast were won by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
  • Almost 87% of the country's 37.6 million registered voters turned out to vote.
  • The turnout in the previous election in 2020 was around 50%.
  • At least 10 people have been killed in the protests, according to the United Nations' human rights commission.
  • Brenda Rupia estimates that 200 people have been killed in the protests.

Sources:

  • The New York Times - Sunday, October 15, 2022
  • The Tanzanian electoral commission's website
  • The European Parliament's website
  • The United Nations' human rights commission report
  • Brenda Rupia, Chadema's spokesperson, in a phone interview with The New York Times