DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Tanzanian police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday as opposition supporters took to the streets to denounce the ongoing general election, which they say is unfair and tightly controlled by the ruling party.
The unrest broke out along major roads and public transport terminals, where demonstrators lit fires, vandalised vehicles, and called for electoral reforms and greater political freedoms. Several people were injured during the confrontations, witnesses said.
“We are tired… We want an independent electoral commission so that every Tanzanian can choose the leader they want,” one protester told the BBC.
Authorities moved quickly to quell the demonstrations, with Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Alfred Chalamila warning that “the government will take strong action against those disrupting peace in the city.”
The election is widely expected to hand President Samia Suluhu Hassan a second term, as her main rival remains jailed on treason charges and his party has boycotted the vote.
Sixteen minor parties have been cleared to run, though none pose a serious challenge to Samia’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which has ruled Tanzania since independence.
Voter turnout in Dar es Salaam was reported to be low when polls opened, amid fears of violence and intimidation. Police insisted the situation was under control and urged citizens to vote.
At the same time, internet watchdog NetBlocks reported a “nationwide disruption to internet connectivity,” raising concerns of an information blackout on election day.
More than 37 million Tanzanians are eligible to vote in the presidential and parliamentary polls. The electoral commission said results will be announced within three days after polls close.
Rights groups have accused the government of suppressing dissent and silencing the opposition in the run-up to the vote.
Amnesty International recently reported a “wave of terror” involving enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of opposition members—claims the government has dismissed as false.
President Samia, who took office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, was initially praised for loosening restrictions on political activity.
But critics say her administration has reverted to authoritarian tactics, tightening state control and clamping down on dissent.
