Global concern as Tanzania shuts down internet, violence erupts post-election

Tanzania was plunged into a total communication blackout on Thursday following violent unrest that erupted during Wednesday’s elections, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that dozens may have been killed.

The election, meant to strengthen President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s grip on power, quickly descended into chaos as hundreds of protesters took to the streets across major cities.

Most of Hassan’s challengers were either jailed or disqualified before the polls, leaving the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party with little competition.

An AFP correspondent reported seeing a police station set ablaze in Dar es Salaam, while several polling units were attacked and posters of the president were torn down in different parts of the country.

A diplomatic source disclosed that there were unverified reports of over 30 fatalities.

However, the nationwide internet blackout and restrictions on international calls made it nearly impossible to confirm the casualty figures.

Almost all foreign journalists were denied entry into Tanzania ahead of the election.

Local media outlets, operating under strict government control, have not updated their reports since Wednesday morning, and the government has issued no official statement on the situation.

Schools and government offices were shut on Thursday, and civil servants were told to work from home, as gunfire reportedly echoed through Dar es Salaam.

Rights groups had earlier warned of rising political tension, citing a “wave of terror” marked by kidnappings and intimidation of opposition supporters.

“It’s unprecedented… Where we go from here is unclear,” a foreign diplomat told AFP, describing President Hassan’s status as “uncertain.”

On the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar, calm was reported, though ferry services to the mainland were suspended.

Tourists stranded at airports said they were unable to communicate or make payments due to the internet shutdown.

Much of the public outrage has been directed at President Hassan’s son, Abdul, who was reportedly leading an “informal task force” of security operatives during the elections.

The group is accused of orchestrating a surge in abductions of critics, including a popular influencer known as Niffer, who was detained after posting satirical videos that encouraged protests.

Since taking office in 2021 following the sudden death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, has faced resistance from within her own party and the military.

Although she initially relaxed restrictions on the media and opposition, rights groups now accuse her administration of orchestrating enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Her main rival, Tundu Lissu of the opposition party Chadema, is currently facing treason charges that could attract a death sentence, while another leading opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, was barred from contesting.

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Amnesty International has warned of a high risk of further violence and urged Tanzanian authorities to exercise restraint as the country faces one of its most turbulent political moments in recent history.

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