Tanzania’s general elections have been marred by scattered incidents of unrest in Dar es Salaam, where demonstrations and destruction of election materials have been reported. Some protesters accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of limiting democratic space as tensions briefly flared in parts of the city.
Despite the chaos, the National Electoral Commission (INEC) said voting continued smoothly across most regions of mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. According to INEC, 37.6 million Tanzanians are registered to vote — 36.65 million on the mainland and 996,000 in Zanzibar.
In Dar es Salaam, security was tightened after reports of youth groups planning protests in areas such as Kibo and Kimara. Regional Commissioner Alfred Chalamila moved to reassure the public that authorities were fully prepared to handle any disruptions.
“Any attempt to disturb peace will be met with force far greater than that used to plan it,” Chalamila warned, emphasizing that the government will act decisively against those seeking to undermine stability.
He urged citizens to maintain calm and safeguard Tanzania’s long-standing reputation as a peaceful nation.
“Utamaduni wa taifa letu ni amani. Tukiiharibu amani hii, tutakuwa tumepoteza msingi wa kuwepo kwetu kama taifa,” he said, calling for cooperation with security forces to ensure Dar es Salaam remains a center of stability and unity.
Meanwhile, President Samia Suluhu Hassan cast her ballot at Chamwino polling station in Dodoma, where she appealed for peace and civic responsibility.
“Tuendelee kujitokeza, kama ambavyo mamilioni ya wananchi katika maeneo mbalimbali ya nchi yetu wamefanya, na kupiga kura kwa amani na utulivu,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities said normalcy had been restored in most of the affected areas by afternoon, with voting expected to continue until polls close later in the day.
By Samson Jura
