Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term amid tight security, following an election marred by violent protests, opposition boycotts, and widespread allegations of fraud.
The inauguration ceremony was held at a military parade ground in the capital, Dodoma, instead of a public stadium as in previous years. The event was closed to the public but broadcast live on state television.
Suluhu was declared the winner on Saturday with 98% of the vote, after key opposition candidates were either imprisoned or barred from contesting. Her landslide victory has been rejected by the opposition, which described the poll as a “sham.”
International observers have expressed concern over the transparency of the electoral process and the violence that followed. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed, though authorities have downplayed the scale of the unrest. A nationwide internet shutdown, in place since election day on Wednesday, has made it difficult to verify the true extent of the casualties or obtain reliable information.
Several Tanzanians told the BBC that they have been unable to contact missing relatives. One woman, identified only as Mama Kassim, said she had not seen her two sons since election day.
“I don’t know where he is, I don’t know whether he has been arrested, I don’t know if he is injured, I don’t know if he is dead. Oh God, protect my son — he’s only 21 years old,” she said.
Another resident in Dar es Salaam said he had been unable to return home due to a lack of transport. “I had only 10,000 shillings on my phone. I sent it to my family to buy food, but it wasn’t enough. My children are hungry,” he said.
Wearing a red headscarf and dark glasses, Suluhu took her oath of office before regional leaders and dignitaries, including the presidents of Somalia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Burundi. State broadcaster TBC confirmed that the public was not permitted to attend.
In her inaugural speech, Suluhu thanked the Electoral Commission for organizing the election with what she termed “unquestionable efficiency.” She expressed sorrow over the violence that had led to “loss of lives and destruction of public property,” describing it as a stain on Tanzania’s reputation.
She also suggested that some of those arrested were not Tanzanian citizens, saying security agencies were investigating foreign involvement in the unrest.
Opposition party Chadema, which was barred from participating in the election, has rejected the results, saying there was “no basis in reality” to the Commission’s announcement. The party claims that “no genuine election took place in Tanzania” and has called for a fresh vote.
Chadema officials told AFP that they had recorded “no less than 800” deaths, while a diplomatic source told the BBC there was credible evidence that at least 500 people had been killed. The UN human rights office earlier confirmed credible reports of at least 10 deaths in three cities.
Following the violence, food and fuel prices have surged, schools and colleges have been closed, and public transport has largely been halted. Suluhu has ordered authorities to take immediate action to restore normalcy.
Police spokesman David Misime has blamed the unrest on “motorbike operators and foreign nationals,” alleging that some individuals “entered the country illegally with the intention of causing chaos.” He urged Tanzanians to report any foreigners “whose activities in Tanzania are unclear.”
Reports have also emerged of missing Kenyan nationals, with activist Hussein Khalid saying a Kenyan teacher had been killed and others were still unaccounted for.
The situation has drawn global condemnation. Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for prayers for peace in Tanzania, while EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas urged authorities to exercise restraint. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” about reports of deaths and injuries.
The two main opposition leaders, Tundu Lissu currently detained on treason charges and Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, were unable to contest the election. Sixteen minor parties, none with significant public support, were permitted to run.
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party and its predecessor, TANU, have dominated Tanzania’s politics since independence and have never lost a national election.
Ahead of the polls, rights groups including Amnesty International accused the government of waging a “wave of terror” through enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures allegations the government has rejected.
Samia Suluhu Hassan first rose to power in 2021 as Tanzania’s first female president, following the death of her predecessor, John Magufuli.
