Tanzania entered a third day of internet blackout on Friday after Wednesday’s general elections, as protests and unrest spread in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, and other cities. President Samia Suluhu Hassan appeared headed for a sweeping win amid arrests and bans on rivals. Authorities imposed a curfew and deployed the military. In Zanzibar, the opposition rejected the declared results as rigged and called for a fresh vote. Foreign reporters faced entry bans, deepening an information gap.
Witnesses described street clashes, torn posters, tire fires, and confrontations near polling sites. Rights groups cited abductions, arrests, and killings ahead of the vote and criticized the force used against civilians. Anger has focused on the president’s son, who is accused by critics of driving the clampdown. With news outlets silent and lines cut, verified details remain scarce. The banned mainland party Chadema alleged more than 700 deaths, a figure that has not been confirmed. The United Nations and African Union urged restraint and transparency. Analysts said Hassan sought to consolidate power amid party rifts, with key opponents jailed or barred, while ACT-Wazalendo contested only in Zanzibar.
Witnesses described street clashes, torn posters, tire fires, and confrontations near polling sites. Rights groups cited abductions, arrests, and killings ahead of the vote and criticized the force used against civilians. Anger has focused on the president’s son, who is accused by critics of driving the clampdown. With news outlets silent and lines cut, verified details remain scarce. The banned mainland party Chadema alleged more than 700 deaths, a figure that has not been confirmed. The United Nations and African Union urged restraint and transparency. Analysts said Hassan sought to consolidate power amid party rifts, with key opponents jailed or barred, while ACT-Wazalendo contested only in Zanzibar.
