Tanzania Crisis: Election Turns Brutal as Pro-Government Supporters Become Targets

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania October 30 – Tanzania faces a deepening political crisis following Wednesday’s general election, with widespread violence, targeted attacks on businesses, and serious international concerns about the vote’s credibility. The situation, marked by a government-imposed curfew, internet blackout and a defiant civil disobedience campaign, has raised fundamental questions about the credibility of an electoral process that was already under intense scrutiny for excluding major opposition figures.

The most significant international condemnation came Thursday morning from the European Parliament, where leading Members of Parliament (MEPs) declared the elections could not be considered “free and fair.” In a joint statement that has reverberated through diplomatic circles, the MEPs asserted that the “fraud did not begin at the ballot box – it has been unfolding for months.”

The statement, co-signed by David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, and others, pointed to the “harassment and arrest” of opposition leaders and the systematic dismantling of civic space. They specifically highlighted the treason trial of main opposition leader Tundu Lissu as an example of the “collapse of democratic values and judicial independence,” demanding his immediate and unconditional release. “No election can be credible when the main opposition is silenced,” the MEPs concluded, urging democratic partners to stand firm in defense of human rights.

This rebuke aligns with pre-election reports from human rights organizations. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had previously documented what they termed a “wave of terror” in the lead-up to the vote, citing enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of government critics and opposition figures.

While international bodies voiced their concerns, the streets of Tanzania’s major cities remained the stage for a dramatic and violent expression of public fury. The unrest began on election day (yesterday) and escalated dramatically as polls closed, continuing into Thursday despite a police-imposed curfew in Dar es Salaam.

In the commercial capital, scenes of chaos unfolded better parts of Wednesday and verified reports indicated the chaos continued the better part of Thursday. Witnesses said that police fired gunshots and teargas on Thursday to disperse protesters who had returned to the streets in neighborhoods including Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya. The protests were not limited to the capital; unrest was also reported in areas like Songwe in the west and the tourist hub of Arusha. In a particularly bold act of defiance, residents in Arusha’s Olerien area set a police station ablaze on Wednesday night.

Read more here: Tanzania Imposes Curfew as Election Day Ends in Violence, Internet Shutdown, and Low Turnout

The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania issued a security alert, advising all government personnel to shelter in place. “The U.S. Embassy is aware of reports of demonstrations across multiple locations in Tanzania,” the statement posted on X read, noting that Tanzanian security services were responding to the incidents. The embassy also warned that some major roads, including the main route to Dar es Salaam’s international airport, were closed. Other embassies, including those of Canada, Israel, Germany, and France, have issued similar security advisories to their citizens.

The calculated targeting of pro-government figures

A distinct and alarming feature of the violence has been the precise targeting of individuals and businesses perceived as supporters of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. This has moved beyond generalized rioting to a focused campaign of economic retribution.

Across Dar es Salaam and other urban centers, protesters have directed their anger at celebrities and influencers seen as aligning with the political establishment. Multiple celebrity-owned establishments were attacked, including the torching of Nenga Electronics, a store allegedly owned by musician Billnas, and the burning of Shishi Foods, owned by musician and actress Shilole (Zena Yusuf Mohammed). A clothing store owned by influencer Sharobaro was also looted and destroyed. In videos circulating online, protesters could be heard chanting their intention to march on Wasafi Records, the music empire of superstar Diamond Platnumz, and named other artists like Ali Kiba and Harmonise as targets.

The rationale behind these attacks was articulated clearly by protesters. “We are the ones who have made them famous and rich. We consume their music but they have proved to be the supporters of the status quo without caring about our suffering,” one demonstrator told local media outlet JH_EA.

The panic this has induced within the cultural community is evident. Local journalists reported that media personality Mwijaku hastily deleted numerous social media posts linking him to the CCM party. Meanwhile, rapper Roma Mkatoliki, known for his anti-government lyrics, claimed on social media that his fundraising accounts had been frozen, suggesting a multi-pronged pressure campaign from both the state and the public.

The targeting extended to the highest levels of business. Buses belonging to billionaire Mohammed Dewji were allegedly set ablaze by protesters. Dewji, who survived a kidnapping in 2018 that many analysts believed was politically motivated, has been widely perceived as having shifted his political stance to a quieter support for the CCM in recent years. For the protesters, his vast business empire represented a pillar of the economic status quo.

The violence also took an explicitly anti-institutional turn. In the capital, Dodoma, the headquarters of the Takukuni anti-corruption body was set on fire. Protesters on the ground claimed the institution had failed to tackle high-level corruption and had become a tool for protecting corrupt officials within the ruling party.

Perhaps the most telling incidents were those that revealed a total collapse of public trust in the electoral process itself. Unverified videos shared widely on social media, timestamped from election day, showed crowds surrounding trucks that protesters alleged were disguised as maize transporters but were actually carrying pre-stuffed ballot boxes. The videos showed ballot materials visible inside the trucks as youths shouted, “They are stealing votes!” While the authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified, they highlight the serious distrust that has fueled the anger.

The government’s response to the crisis has been characterized by a significant security crackdown and a near-total information blackout. According to the specialist publication Africa Intelligence, much of the election security operation was managed by an “informal task force” led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s son, Abdul, drawing on police and intelligence services.

A nationwide disruption to internet connectivity was confirmed by the internet monitoring group NetBlocks, which stated the blackout coincided with the eruption of violence on election day. This severely limited the ability of independent media and citizens to report on the situation. The heavily controlled local media made no mention of the unrest and provided no updates on the election, creating an information vacuum.

A journalist, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, told JH_EA that the unrest continued into the night despite the curfew and that the police and army had set up checkpoints around Dar es Salaam and other cities. Other source reported unverified claims that more than 50 people may have been killed in Wednesday’s violence, though these figures could not be confirmed. Amnesty International stated it had documented “two reported deaths” from social media evidence, while a member of the opposition CHADEMA party indicated to AFP news agency they had reports of at least four deaths but stressed they were “not certain” of the figures.

The government has remained largely silent. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa used his Instagram account to announce that all civil servants should work from home on Thursday, and state television announced that students should study from home—tacit acknowledgments of the severe disruption.

The tactics employed by Tanzanian protesters—specifically targeting the businesses and assets of those affiliated with the political elite—mirror a recent shift in protest movements across the globe. In Kenya in June 2024, a leaderless Gen Z movement orchestrated widespread protests that systematically targeted businesses and properties belonging to politicians and their families, moving beyond symbolic demonstrations to inflict material consequences. A similar pattern has been observed in recent protests in Nepal, where public fury was directed at the economic interests of the political class, suggesting a new, decentralized playbook for popular dissent in the digital age.

As Tanzanian National Electoral Commission begins the process of tallying votes, the environment for a credible and accepted outcome appears severely compromised. The exclusion of the main opposition parties, the violence and intimidation, and the complete information blackout have created a deep legitimacy deficit.

Regional election observer missions from the African Union (AU) and the East African Community (EAC), which were deployed to monitor the vote, have yet to release their preliminary statements. Their findings will be critical in shaping the regional and international response to the ongoing crisis.

For President Samia, who was initially feted as a reformer after taking office in 2021, the current turmoil represents a dramatic reversal. The “Samia Spring,” characterized by a loosening of restrictions on media and opposition, has given way to a period of intense repression and now, open rebellion. The question now facing Tanzania is not merely who will win this election, but whether the social contract between the government and its people could be repaired after such a profound and violent rupture.