Tanzania

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has written to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, expressing concern over the reported killing of Ogutu.

The aftermath of Tanzania’s disputed polls has spilled across its borders, crippling transport corridors and leaving landlocked nations counting heavy economic losses amid fuel shortages, inflation fears, and shaken investor confidence.

Heche’s disappearance marks the latest in a series of arrests that have drawn condemnation from human rights groups and opposition figures across the region.

Tobias Alando noted that businesses across the region operate in environments shaped by different political regimes and changing government policies.

In an unusual move, police have begun sending SMS warnings urging citizens not to circulate images or videos deemed "alarming" or "demeaning," a step widely seen as an attempt to restrict documentation of alleged abuses and tighten information control.

In a statement, the rights group noted that the blackouts, which have affected large parts of the country for nearly a week, have coincided with reports of security forces using excessive force against post-election protesters.

Once hailed as an empowering figure, Tanzania's first female leader is now being labeled a dictator.

The society expressed concern over reports of fatalities, injuries and mass arrests following the October 29 General Election, noting that the actions undermine public trust in democratic institutions.

SADC’s preliminary report faults Tanzania’s 2025 General Election for voter intimidation, restricted media coverage, and barriers that prevented many citizens from freely expressing their political will.

Samia said the unrest was not homegrown and the acts were inconsistent with Tanzanian values.

In her victory speech, Suluhu described the election as "free and democratic" and referred to the protesters who challenged the results as "unpatriotic."

The party urged the international community not to recognise Samia’s victory, citing widespread electoral fraud, intimidation of opposition parties and a political environment that was neither free nor fair.

Reports indicate that more than 700 people have been killed since protests erupted on Wednesday, after demonstrators took to the streets to contest the exclusion of key candidates from the polls in which President Samia Suluhu was declared the winner.

Article 41(7) of the Constitution states that once a candidate is declared the winner by the Electoral Commission, “no court of law shall have any jurisdiction to inquire into the election of that candidate.”

The regional body reaffirmed its readiness to support Tanzania through appropriate mechanisms aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution.

According to the electoral body, Samia, representing the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, secured around 31.9 million votes, representing nearly 97.7 per cent of the 32 million ballots cast.

According to INEC’s official tally, President Samia secured 31,913,866 votes, marking a decisive win for the CCM-led administration.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who assumed the presidency in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, will now serve a full five-year term.

Tension in the country escalated as citizens took to the streets, alleging that the elections were manipulated to favour President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

In a rare show of defiance, Tanzanians shocked the East African region as demonstrations erupted on Wednesday. In response, the government shut down the internet, imposed a curfew, and deployed the military to the streets.

The party said Heche has been held at Mtumba Police Station for three days without food and is suffering from severe heart pain, high fever and extreme body weakness.

The PS noted that Tanzania, as a friendly neighbour, has its own mechanisms to handle internal matters, adding that Kenya wishes the country well as it addresses its domestic issues.

EU officials say the polls were neither free nor fair, pointing to opposition arrests, voter intimidation and blocked observers.

Mwinyi, first elected in 2020, will now serve another five-year term at the helm of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government.

Hundreds of demonstrators, reportedly from the Tanzanian side, barricaded roads, lit bonfires, and hurled stones at buildings in the border town.

The AFP news agency cited a diplomatic source as saying that protests continued into the night despite a curfew imposed on Wednesday.

The election, in which the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party is expected to retain power, has been widely criticised as uncompetitive.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Jumanne Muliro announced that the curfew would take effect from 6:00 pm East Africa Time (EAT), warning residents to remain indoors until further notice.

Protests erupted in parts of Dar es Salaam and other major towns, where opposition supporters took to the streets to denounce the exclusion of their leaders from the polls.

Chagutah also warned that the reported nationwide internet disruption in the country threatens to further inflame the situation.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan serves as both head of state and CCM leader. She made history in 2021 as Tanzania’s first female president, succeeding the late John Magufuli.

Women and youth are particularly significant voting blocs in Tanzania. Yet their votes are largely ignored by the country's entrenched political elites. There's only a little change — and even less hope.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country's first female head of state, is widely expected to retain power in what observers describe as a contest without real competition.

The group accused the Tanzanian government of persecuting the two opposition figures for their pro-democracy stance and silencing dissent ahead of the country’s controversial general election scheduled for Wednesday, October 29.

According to the airline, the relaunch aligns with its broader European network, now providing several double-daily connections via Abu Dhabi.

Voting in Zanzibar is set to begin on Tuesday, with some 700,000 residents expected to cast ballots for both mainland presidential candidates and a local president.

In its response, the Tanzanian government reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights,” citing constitutional guarantees and adherence to international and regional standards.

The team includes members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), representatives from National Electoral Commissions, National Human Rights Commissions, civil society organisations, and officials from the EAC Secretariat.

The accident occurred shortly after 8:00 am on Thursday, moments after the train departed Magufuli Station in Dar es Salaam and was approaching Ruvu.

The declaration follows an earlier announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which set October 29, 2025, as the official date for elections of the President, Members of Parliament, and Councillors.

As Tanzania's October 29 general election approaches, many voters are calling for leaders who will address everyday challenges - from health care to job creation and education reforms.

Photos and videos shared widely on social media showed part of the train off the tracks near a signal pole, drawing immediate public attention.

The episode underscores the uneasy political climate in Tanzania, where civic space remains constrained despite promises of reform under President Samia.

Tanzania is days away from a general election. Here are five things to watch as East Africa's biggest nation decides.

The report also documented multiple cases of enforced disappearances and killings. In July 2024, Chadema official Dioniz Kipanya vanished after leaving home, while senior strategist Ali Mohammed Kibao was found dead in Dar es Salaam in September following an abduction.

While Heche did not specify the delegation's full composition, he was expected to represent Tundu Lissu, who remains in custody in Tanzania amid an ongoing treason case.

Founded in 2010 by Aneth Gerana Isaya, the first deaf woman to graduate from the University of Dar es Salaam, FUWAVITA was born out of necessity. After being denied employment because of the perceived cost of hiring a sign language interpreter, Aneth decided to take action.

The consequence is that Samia is running to be re-elected as the president of Tanzania, opposed only by minor candidates. This is a scenario without precedent since the reintroduction of multiparty elections in 1992.

Polepole resigned as Tanzania's ambassador to Cuba in July, citing concerns about the country's direction under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

The Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) leader survived a 2017 assassination attempt, during which he was shot 16 times, though no one has been held accountable for the attack.

In the video, a man claiming to be Captain Tesha from the air force accuses President Samia Suluhu’s government of corruption, human rights abuses, and political interference within the military.