Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission has declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the 2025 election, securing more than 97% of the vote. The result, announced early Saturday, comes amid mounting criticism from observers and rights groups who say the contest lacked genuine competition, with top rivals detained or barred from running.
In Dodoma, Hassan accepted her victory certificate and urged national reconciliation. “It’s time to unite our country and not destroy what we’ve built over more than six decades,” she said. “We will take all actions and involve all security agencies to ensure the country is peaceful.”
Hassan first assumed office in 2021 following the unexpected death of President John Pombe Magufuli. Her commanding re-election, however, has deepened concerns about the state of Tanzania’s democracy. Analysts and activists describe the election as a tightly managed show of power, rather than a fair political contest.
The government’s treatment of opposition figures intensified those warnings. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu remains jailed on treason charges stemming from his calls for electoral reforms, while fellow challenger Luhaga Mpina was blocked from the ballot entirely. Violent protests erupted on Oct. 29 as citizens attempted to disrupt vote counting, prompting a harsh security crackdown that left at least 10 people dead, according to U.N. officials.
The unrest led to postponed university reopenings, military deployments in key cities, and restricted internet access. Western nations echoed alarm, with the foreign ministers of the U.K., Canada, and Norway jointly condemning “credible reports of a large number of fatalities and significant injuries” resulting from the state’s response to demonstrations. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also appealed for calm and an end to the violence.
Hassan’s massive victory further cements the dominance of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Tanzania’s ruling party since independence in 1961. The party maintains deep roots in rural regions, though its hold on urban youth continues to fray amid growing frustration over curtailed freedoms and economic pressures, AP reported.
