Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term following a disputed election that sparked deadly protests across the country. The swearing-in took place on Monday at a closed military ceremony in Dodoma, after opposition candidates were barred from the ballot.
The electoral commission declared Hassan winner with nearly 98 percent of the vote, but opposition party Chadema rejected the results, calling the poll a “sham” and demanding fresh elections. Reports say protests erupted in several cities, with Chadema alleging that hundreds of people were killed in clashes with police.
A diplomatic source told AFP that there were credible reports of hundreds, possibly thousands, of deaths, though the UN has confirmed at least ten fatalities. The government has denied allegations of excessive force, saying it has no official figures on casualties.
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Tensions remain high in Dar es Salaam, where shops are closed and the internet remains shut down. Rights groups have accused the government of widespread repression before the election, including arrests and disappearances of opposition figures.
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