Source: BBC
DST News: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term under tight security, after a violence-marred election that the opposition dismissed as fraudulent.
The inauguration ceremony, held at a military parade ground in Dodoma instead of the usual stadium venue, was closed to the public but broadcast live on state television. Samia, dressed in a red headscarf and dark glasses, took her oath before regional leaders from Somalia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Burundi.
The president was declared the winner with 98% of the vote, following an election in which key opposition figures were jailed or barred from contesting. International observers have expressed serious concerns over the transparency and post-election violence, with reports suggesting hundreds of deaths.
Opposition party Chadema, excluded from the polls, claimed that at least 800 people were killed in clashes with security forces. A diplomatic source told the BBC that there was credible evidence of over 500 deaths, while the UN Human Rights Office cited at least 10 confirmed fatalities in three cities.
A nationwide internet shutdown since election day has made it difficult to verify the full extent of casualties, and families have reported missing relatives. Daily life has been disrupted, with schools and transport services suspended and prices of essentials tripling.
In her address, President Samia praised the electoral commission’s “unquestionable efficiency” and expressed sorrow over the bloodshed, calling it a “stain on Tanzania’s image.” She also claimed that some of those detained were foreigners, adding that investigations were under way.
Police officials have blamed foreign nationals and motorbike operators for fueling unrest, urging citizens to report any “unknown foreigners.” Reports have emerged of missing Kenyan citizens, including one teacher allegedly killed.
The EU, UN, and Pope Leo XIV have voiced deep concern over the violence, urging Tanzanian authorities to exercise restraint.
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence, extended its grip on power. Chadema has rejected the election results, saying “no genuine vote took place”, and has demanded a fresh election.
Samia, who first assumed office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, remains Tanzania’s first female president, but faces growing domestic and international pressure to address the country’s political repression and economic instability.
