Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan Secures Second Term with Overwhelming Victory Amid Opposition Crackdown
Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) has officially declared incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the nation’s presidential election, granting her a second five-year term with a staggering 98% of the vote. The announcement, made late Wednesday, solidifies Hassan’s dominance in a contest marred by the systematic sidelining of her primary challengers.
According to NEC Chairperson Judge Damian Lubuva, Hassan, representing the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, garnered approximately 97.8% of the total ballots cast in the October 28 election. Voter turnout was reported at over 65%, with more than 14 million votes in her favor out of roughly 14.5 million valid votes. The remaining votes were split among a handful of lesser-known candidates from minor parties.
“This election reflects the will of the Tanzanian people, who have reaffirmed their trust in President Hassan’s leadership for continued stability, economic growth, and unity,” Lubuva stated during the declaration ceremony in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
Hassan’s landslide victory extends CCM’s uninterrupted grip on power since Tanzania’s independence in 1961. She first ascended to the presidency in March 2021 following the sudden death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, becoming the country’s first female head of state. Under her administration, Tanzania has pursued infrastructure development, debt restructuring with international lenders, and a cautious reopening of political space after Magufuli’s authoritarian tenure.
However, the election has drawn sharp criticism from opposition groups, human rights organizations, and international observers, who point to the absence of viable competition. Hassan’s two main rivals—Tundu Lissu of the Chadema party and Freeman Mbowe, also from Chadema—were effectively neutralized ahead of the vote.
Lissu, a vocal critic of the government who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, was disqualified by the NEC in September on grounds of “violating electoral laws” related to his campaign financing and public statements. Mbowe, Chadema’s chairperson, has been detained since July 2024 on terrorism charges, which his party dismisses as politically motivated fabrications. Several other opposition figures faced similar fates, including arrests, disqualifications, or exile.
“With the opposition leadership either in jail or barred from running, this was not an election—it was a coronation,” Lissu said in a statement from exile in Belgium. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International echoed these sentiments, documenting widespread irregularities such as voter intimidation, media blackouts on opposition campaigns, and restrictions on independent monitors.
The United States, European Union, and United Kingdom issued measured statements expressing concern over the “lack of a level playing field” while congratulating the Tanzanian people on participating. No major international body has yet challenged the results outright.
Domestically, Hassan’s supporters celebrated the outcome as a mandate for continuity. “Mama Samia has delivered peace and progress; the people have spoken loudly,” said CCM Secretary General Daniel Chongolo.
Economically, Tanzania under Hassan has seen GDP growth rebound to around 5% annually, driven by mining, tourism, and mega-projects like the Standard Gauge Railway. Her administration has also mended ties with Western donors, securing IMF loans and easing some COVID-era restrictions imposed by Magufuli.
As Hassan prepares for her inauguration in the coming weeks, questions linger about democratic backsliding in East Africa’s second-largest economy. Analysts predict that without genuine reforms, future elections could face escalating tensions between the entrenched CCM and a frustrated opposition.
