Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured a landslide victory within the nation’s disputed presidential election, successful 97.66 per cent of the vote amid an opposition boycott, allegations of repression, and violent protests which have drawn worldwide concern.
Tanzania’s Nationwide Electoral Fee introduced the outcomes on Saturday, confirming Hassan’s near-total dominance in each constituency following Wednesday’s polls.
State media reported that her swearing-in ceremony would happen later within the day in Dodoma, the nation’s administrative capital.
Nevertheless, the result has been extensively condemned by the opposition and civil society teams, who say the election was neither free nor honest.
A spokesman for the primary opposition occasion, Chadema, which was barred from contesting, denounced the consequence as a “mockery of democracy.”
“We’re calling for the intervention by a reputable physique to supervise one other recent election,” John Kitoka stated.
In a speech from the executive capital, Dodoma, after being licensed because the winner, Hassan stated the actions of the protesters had been “neither accountable nor patriotic”.
“With regards to the safety of Tanzania, there is no such thing as a debate – we should use all accessible safety avenues to make sure the nation stays protected,” she stated.
Unrest and Crackdown
The election interval was marred by days of unrest as protesters in main cities, together with Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza, took to the streets to denounce the exclusion of opposition candidates and the alleged harassment of their supporters.
Regardless of a heavy safety deployment, the demonstrations shortly turned violent. Witnesses reported that protesters tore down banners bearing Hassan’s picture and set authorities buildings ablaze, prompting police to fireside tear fuel and dwell rounds to disperse crowds.
Web watchdog NetBlocks confirmed that entry to social media platforms and cellular web was restricted in a number of cities throughout and after the vote, in what activists described as an try and stifle data circulate.
Worldwide response
United Nations Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the state of affairs in Tanzania, urging restraint and dialogue.
Guterres stated he’s “deeply involved together with stories of deaths and accidents through the demonstrations”, his spokesman stated in an announcement.
Chadema chief Tundu Lissu has been jailed for months, charged with treason after he known as for electoral reforms that he stated had been a prerequisite totally free and honest elections. He denies the fees. One other opposition determine, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo group, was barred from working.
Rights teams allege Hassan oversaw a “wave of terror” within the nation earlier than the vote, together with a string of high-profile abductions that escalated within the ultimate days. The federal government has rejected criticisms of its human rights document.
Hassan, who in 2021 was elevated from vice chairman on the sudden loss of life of her predecessor, John Magufuli, confronted 16 candidates from smaller events.
Be First to Comment