Tanzania&

The Tanzanian Parliament is set to approve the appointment later on Thursday following Suluhu's decisive win in the October 29 polls.

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The arrests and detentions followed post-election violence in the country, which left one Kenyan teacher shot dead and led to hundreds of deaths and injuries, according to local reports.

According to court records, nearly 340 people have been detained across seven towns, with the largest numbers in Dar es Salaam and Iringa.

The call comes amid reports that security forces may have taken bodies to undisclosed locations, leaving families struggling to locate their loved ones.

Over the weekend, President Samia Suluhu Hassan extended an olive branch to opposition leaders, calling for dialogue following last month's disputed general election.

The other officials released include Deputy Secretary-General (Mainland) Amani Golugwa, Central Committee member Godbless Lema, and Coastal Zone Chairperson Boniface Jacob, known widely as Boni Yai.

The two said their ordeal began at military checkpoints and escalated at police stations where they were held in inhumane conditions with dozens of other detainees.

Khama, who served as Botswana’s president from 2008 to 2018, also criticised Cameroon President Paul Biya, recently sworn in at 92 years old, saying the leadership challenges in both countries reflect a broader governance crisis in Africa.

Despite urging dialogue and reconciliation, President Samia’s government continues to detain key opposition leaders, fueling doubts over her commitment to national unity.

State Counsel Thawabu Issa told the High Court that the Prisons Department was unable to present Lissu in court, citing safety concerns.

With only 12 opposition MPs in a 396-member House, analysts warn of weakened debate and limited oversight.

The released citizens, lawyer Fredrick Lorent Obuya and financial professional John Gitahi Nderitu, had been taken into custody as part of a wider crackdown on demonstrators.

Golugwa becomes the third senior party leader to be detained in recent weeks, following the arrests of Chairperson Tundu Lissu and Vice-Chairperson John Heche.

The unrest erupted on election day when security forces confronted protesters, resulting in scores of deaths and injuries. Witnesses say hundreds, and possibly thousands, lost their lives, though the government has not released official casualty figures.

The activists said President Samia Suluhu Hassan had lost legitimacy, forfeited the moral mandate to govern, and now presides over what they termed mass atrocities.

Among those killed were journalists Master Tindwa of Clouds Media, who was shot at his home in Temeke, and Kelvin Lameck Mwakangondya of Baraka FM, who was killed while on duty in Mbeya.

Amnesty International Kenya, Vocal Africa and Defenders Coalition condemned the ongoing violence, human rights violations and breakdown of the rule of law in Tanzania following the recently concluded elections.

The groups warn that the country is facing its worst human rights crisis in decades and are calling for urgent regional and international intervention.

The US-based influencer, who lives in Los Angeles and is known for her fiery political posts, is accused of fueling protests that turned deadly after Tanzania’s controversial vote.

Interior PS Omollo said that the Kenyan Embassy in Dar es Salaam has been engaged to coordinate arrangements for recovering Ogutu’s body for autopsy and subsequent burial.

Mudavadi said Nairobi had reported a number of cases where the rights of Kenyans had been infringed and that these incidents "have been formally submitted to the Tanzanian government for action."

The State Department of Foreign Affairs urged Kenyans to share the names and contacts of those at risk through its official channels to enable quick assistance and coordination with Kenya’s embassies abroad.

PIN reported that the five-day nationwide internet blackout, between October 29 and November 3, cost Tanzania about $72 million (Sh9.3 billion), translating to around $13.8 million(Sh1.8 million) a day.

Their 46-page preliminary statement paints a bleak picture of a process marred by opposition arrests, ballot-stuffing, violence, and a six-day internet shutdown that crippled communication.

The advisory comes after human rights group Vocal Africa called on the Kenyan government to intervene following reports that two Kenyans were caught up in post-election violence in Tanzania.

Tanzania's opposition party CHADEMA says at least 700 civilians were killed in a three-day crackdown following disputed polls, as the UN and rights groups demand an independent investigation.

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.