Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan Declared Winner of Disputed Election with 97% of the Vote

Strategic Insights -

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the country's highly disputed election, securing a landslide victory with more than 97% of the vote. The outcome follows a week of violent protests across the country, which saw demonstrators tear down banners of Hassan and set fire to government buildings. The electoral commission's decision to exclude two major opposition candidates from the race and widespread allegations of repression are at the heart of the opposition's concerns.

Key Takeaways:

  • The electoral commission announced a landslide victory for President Samia Suluhu Hassan with 97% of the vote, marking a significant win for the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
  • The election was marred by violent protests, with demonstrators reportedly tearing down banners of Hassan and setting fire to government buildings, as well as allegations of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings.
  • Rights groups, including Amnesty International, cited a pattern of human rights abuses in Tanzania ahead of the polls, with over 200 reported cases of enforced disappearance since 2019.
  • The opposition party, Chadema, claimed that hundreds of people were killed in the protests, while the UN human rights office confirmed at least 10 fatalities in three cities.
  • The government dismissed the opposition's death toll as "hugely exaggerated" and denied any wrongdoing regarding its human rights record.

Statistics:

  • 97%: The percentage of the vote secured by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the disputed election.
  • 68 million: The population of Tanzania, making it one of the most populous countries in East Africa.
  • 200+: The number of reported cases of enforced disappearance in Tanzania since 2019, according to a United Nations panel of human rights experts.
  • Hundreds: The estimated number of fatalities reported by the opposition party, Chadema, in the violent protests following the election.
  • 10: The minimum number of fatalities confirmed by the UN human rights office in three cities.

Sources:

  • "Tanzania declares Samia Suluhu Hassan winner of disputed election," The Guardian, October 29, 2023.
  • "Tanzania election: Opposition claims hundreds killed in protests," Reuters, October 26, 2023.
  • "Tanzanian president wins landslide election, opposition parties warn of 'hugely exaggerated' toll of dead," Associated Press, October 28, 2023.