Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of a controversial election, securing 97.7% of the vote in a contest marred by violence and the exclusion of her main rivals.
The electoral commission said turnout reached nearly 87% of 37.6 million registered voters.
Protests erupted during and after Wednesday’s polls, with Reuters reporting clashes between demonstrators and security forces in several cities.
Opposition groups say hundreds were killed, though the UN confirmed at least 10 deaths. Authorities have imposed a nationwide curfew and restricted internet access, citing security concerns.
Hassan, 65, who first took office in 2021 after the death of John Magufuli, vowed to “use all available security avenues” to maintain order.
Critics have accused her government of repression, citing arrests, disappearances and the barring of opposition candidates.
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party’s decades-long dominance continues with Hassan’s five-year term, extending its control since independence in 1961.
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