Tanzania’s political crisis has intensified as President Samia Suluhu Hassan prepares for inauguration under a total internet blackout, following deadly post-election protests.
The opposition party Chadema claims at least 800 people have been killed by security forces after the disputed vote, which saw Hassan declared winner with 98 percent.
Reports from human rights monitors say the blackout is part of a coordinated effort to restrict the flow of information about the violence that followed the polls.
According to the Tanzania Electoral Commission, Hassan secured 98 percent of the vote in last Wednesday’s election.
However, the main opposition party, Chadema, which was barred from participating, has rejected the results, describing the process as “a sham” and demanding a new vote.
“This election cannot be called democratic. The people of Tanzania were denied their right to choose their leaders freely,” Chadema said in a statement.
The government announced that the inauguration ceremony would be held privately at State House in Dodoma, breaking tradition by excluding the public and foreign observers.
State television has continued to broadcast heavily filtered coverage, avoiding mention of the violence or the shutdown of communication networks.
Since election day, Tanzania has experienced a full internet blackout, blocking access to social media platforms and independent news outlets.
Chadema estimates that “no less than 800 Tanzanians” have died since protests began on October 29, 2025, with dozens more injured or missing.
However, these figures have not been independently verified due to the communications blackout and restricted access to hospitals.
The unrest erupted after citizens took to the streets demanding the annulment of the election results and reform of the National Electoral Commission, which they accuse of bias and manipulation.
Protesters also called for an independent investigation into alleged state abuses and extrajudicial killings.
“The people of Tanzania are demonstrating for justice, freedom, and accountability,” said a joint statement issued by the Patriotic and Concerned Citizens for Justice. “We have witnessed peaceful protesters being met with bullets and brutality.”
The group also claimed that security agencies and rogue police units, referred to locally as the “Task Force,” have been responsible for “systematic killings and disappearances.”
In response to the mounting crisis, civil society groups and human rights activists are urging the formation of a national compensation task force to address victims of police and military brutality.
The proposed mechanism, similar to one discussed recently in Kenya, would aim to document abuses, identify victims, and offer reparations to affected families.
“The government must admit its fair share of responsibility for human rights violations,” said a rights advocate in Dodoma. “Acknowledgment and compensation are the first steps toward reconciliation and justice.”
However, legal experts have cautioned that without independent oversight, such a task force could risk being another “political cover-up.”
The escalating crisis has drawn concern from the African Union, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and neighbouring East African states, which have urged restraint and dialogue.
As of Monday morning, no Tanzanian government spokesperson had commented on the reports of killings or the opposition’s claim of over 800 deaths.
Meanwhile, citizens continue to flee hotspots like Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mbeya, where volunteers report that “bodies lie uncollected” as hospitals overflow with the injured.
The blackout has left millions in the dark, with only whispers emerging through smuggled videos and voice notes shared across encrypted networks.
“People are being silenced, literally and digitally,” said one civil rights worker who requested anonymity.
As President Hassan takes her oath in Dodoma under heavy security and no public attendance, the world watches in growing alarm.
For now, Tanzania remains a nation muted by fear, its cries for justice trapped behind the walls of censorship and state violence.
