Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, has rejected the country’s presidential election results.
CHADEMA dismissed the results, calling them “fraudulent” and “a mockery of democracy,” after the electoral commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with a staggering 97.66 percent of the vote.
The official announcement on Friday night was met with outrage. Within hours, protests flared in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza, with police using live bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.
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Videos circulating on social media showed chaos in the streets, echoing scenes from 2020 when opposition candidates were silenced under similar claims of rigging.
“There was no election in Tanzania on October 29,” CHADEMA’s Secretary General said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“What happened was a state-managed charade.”
Several opposition figures, including Tundu Lissu, were disqualified or placed under house arrest in the weeks leading to the vote.
Rights groups reported internet disruptions across the country on polling day, blocking access to social media platforms and messaging apps.
The Tanzania Electoral Commission, however, insisted the process was “transparent and peaceful”.
Government spokespersons accused CHADEMA of “inciting unrest”, while the Tanzania People’s Defence Force deployed patrols in major towns “to maintain calm”.
PUBLIC STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/AuTTVVNRy5
— Chadema Tanzania (@ChademaTZ2) November 1, 2025
International reaction has been cautious. The African Union, while congratulating Samia on her victory, called for restraint and dialogue.
The United Nations human rights office said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of excessive force.
Videos circulating on WhatsApp on Saturday evening showed tens of protestors shot in the head and in the leg.
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Analysts say the scale of the ruling CCM party’s victory signals a deeper democratic regression.
President Suluhu rose to power in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli. At the time, she promised to open political space and mend ties with the opposition.
Friday’s results suggest the opposite – a tightening grip on power and the silencing of dissent.
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