TANZANIA’S general election has been overshadowed by an internet shutdown and isolated incidents of unrest in parts of the country, following protests by youths and a boycott by the main opposition party, CHADEMA.
CHADEMA had earlier announced plans to block the election, and when those efforts failed, the party called on its members to boycott the polls.
However, many of its youthful supporters – particularly Generation Z activists supported by some diaspora groups – vowed to stage protests on polling day.
In Dar es Salaam, groups of young people dismantled election materials at a handful of polling stations and set cars ablaze in scattered incidents.
One protester was reportedly shot in the leg by police attempting to disperse the crowd. Shortly afterward, a nationwide internet blackout was reported, cutting off access to major social media and messaging platforms.
Observers noted that voter turnout was low in several areas, amid growing disillusionment and skepticism over the competitiveness of the vote. President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party are expected to retain power.
Rights groups have condemned the internet shutdown and the heavy-handed police response, warning that such actions could further erode public trust in the electoral process.
Official results are expected in the coming days.
