Protesters destroy polling stations in Tanzania
Protests have broken out in Tanzania, with demonstrators vandalizing polling stations. They’re voicing their frustrations over the elections, where President Samia Suluhu is anticipated to run largely unopposed.
Tension is rising in Tanzania as protesters hit the streets with the General Elections kicking off.
In videos shared by The Star, groups of young people were seen blocking roads, causing traffic disruptions, and facing off with police officers.
The youth, chanting and waving their arms, took over a major highway to voice their frustrations.
Things escalated quickly when some protesters started throwing stones at the police, leading the officers to respond with teargas to break up the crowds.
Earlier, the government had warned against protests, stating that they would not be tolerated.
Police had deployed tanks around Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital, to prevent any unrest.
The elections began early in the morning, but reports indicate a low turnout, as the main challengers to President Samia Suluhu were either jailed or barred from running.
Suluhu, who was the former vice president, stepped into the role after the passing of her predecessor, John Magufuli, in 2021.
When she took office, she initially rolled back several of Magufuli’s strict policies.
She lifted the ban on political rallies and reached out to opposition leaders — moves that garnered her praise both domestically and internationally.
Optimism quickly faded as her government faced accusations of slipping back into the same restrictive practices that characterized the previous administration, which put a damper on hopes for genuine political reform.
In April, Tundu Lissu, the vice-chair of the leading opposition party, Chadema, found himself arrested and charged with treason and cybercrime.
His party was subsequently barred from participating in the elections.
Luhaga Mpina, the leader of ACT-Wazalendo, also faced disqualification, leaving Suluhu to compete only against lesser-known candidates from smaller parties.
He had previously managed to get his candidacy reinstated by the High Court after being disqualified over a procedural issue, but when the Attorney General appealed last month, the electoral commission chose to uphold the disqualification.
Samia’s CCM has claimed victory in every election since multi-party democracy was reintroduced in 1992, but the campaigns are typically lively, featuring spirited debates among rival parties.
According to the BBC, young people represent the majority of Tanzania’s 37.7 million registered voters, and there’s growing frustration over the president’s silence on critical issues like the alarming abductions.
The election commission has stated that it will announce the results within three days following election day.
Protesters destroy polling stations in Tanzania
