Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been inaugurated for a second term amid heavy security, following an election marred by violence and rejected by the opposition as fraudulent.
The ceremony took place at a military parade ground in Dodoma rather than a stadium as in previous years. It was closed to the public but broadcast live on state television.
Samia was declared the winner on Saturday with 98% of the vote, facing minimal competition after key rivals were either jailed or barred from running. Observers and opposition parties have raised serious concerns about the election’s credibility and the violent aftermath, which reportedly left hundreds dead.
Election monitors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said in a statement that in many areas, “voters could not express their democratic will,” citing opposition restrictions and suspected ballot tampering.
Authorities have downplayed the violence, and verification of the death toll has been difficult due to a nationwide internet shutdown from election day until Monday.
Following her swearing-in, President Samia praised the electoral commission for conducting the elections with “unquestionable efficiency,” while expressing sorrow over the violence and loss of life, calling it a stain on Tanzania’s reputation.
Some citizens remain unaccounted for since polling day. Mama Kassim, a mother of two, told the BBC she has not seen her sons since the vote. “I don’t know where he is, I don’t know whether he has been arrested, I don’t know if he is injured, I don’t know if he is hospitalised, I don’t know if he is dead,” she said.
The unrest has also triggered a spike in prices of food, fuel, and essentials, with schools and public transport disrupted. Hospitals have treated hundreds of injured people, and at least one person underwent surgery for severe injuries.
During the inauguration, attended by the leaders of Somalia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Burundi, President Samia called on authorities to restore normalcy immediately. She also noted that some of those arrested during the unrest were not Tanzanian and said security agencies are investigating.
The opposition Chadema party, barred from participating, rejected the election results, claiming they “have no basis in reality” and demanding a new vote. Police blamed violence and vandalism on foreign nationals and local motorbike operators, warning the public to report suspicious foreigners. Reports indicate some Kenyan nationals are missing or dead.
International leaders have expressed concern. Pope Leo XIV called for prayers for victims of post-election violence, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas urged restraint, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced deep concern over deaths and injuries.
Tanzania’s two main opposition leaders did not contest the election: Tundu Lissu faces treason charges, which he denies, while Luhaga Mpina was barred on legal grounds. Only smaller parties, historically with little support, were allowed to compete.
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, and its predecessor TANU, have controlled Tanzanian politics since independence. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, had warned of a “wave of terror” before the vote, citing disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures. The government maintained that the election would be free and fair.
Samia Suluhu Hassan initially became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli.
