2025 Tanzanian election protests

2025 Tanzanian post-election protests
Part of the 2025 Tanzanian general election and Gen Z protests
Date	29 October 2025 (2025-10-29) – present (1 week)
Location	Tanzania; spillover into Kenya (Namanga border)
Caused by	Allegations of electoral irregularities and lack of transparency in the 2025 general election Authoritarianism of president Samia Suluhu Hassan
Goals	Resignation of the government
Methods	Protests, demonstrations, road blockades
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Protesters Government of Tanzania Chama Cha Mapinduzi Tanzania Police Force Tanzania People's Defence Force
Lead figures
No centralised leadership Samia Suluhu Hassan Kassim Majaliwa Philip Mpango Emmanuel Nchimbi Hamad Masauni Jacob John Mkunda
Casualties
Deaths	700+ (per opposition politicians) 10 (per UN)
Arrested	Dozens
Detained	Hundreds arrested across multiple regions

A series of demonstrations and civil unrest began on 29 October 2025, coinciding with Tanzania's general elections. The protests erupted in Dar es Salaam and later spread to other cities, following allegations of electoral irregularities, suppression of opposition parties, and police intimidation. Security forces responded with gunfire, tear gas, and curfews, prompting international concern and travel warnings from several foreign governments.

Background

Main article: 2025 Tanzanian general election

Tanzania held general elections on 29 October 2025. Incumbent president Samia Suluhu Hassan sought a full term, while several opposition candidates were either barred or detained ahead of the vote. Human rights organisations and foreign observers had raised concerns about shrinking civic space, media restrictions, and alleged interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Timeline

29 October

General elections were held in Tanzania. Protests erupted in Dar es Salaam as voters and opposition-supporters reacted to the barring of several opposition figures. Security forces were deployed and an internet blackout was reported.

A curfew was imposed in Dar es Salaam after clashes around polling stations, including burning tyres and reported attacks on a bus and a petrol station.

30 October

Demonstrations continued in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza. Security forces used tear gas and reportedly fired live ammunition to disperse crowds.

Roadblocks operated by the Tanzanian Army were deployed throughout the country turning away anyone if they could not prove they were an essential worker.

Unrest spilled into Kenya's Namanga border town as clashes near the frontier disrupted cross-border trade, with tear gas fired and shops closing.

31 October

Opposition sources claimed around 700 people had been killed nationwide, while the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported at least 10 confirmed deaths and expressed concern over the use of live ammunition. John Kitoka, a spokesperson for the Chadema opposition party, told AFP that Chadema's numbers had been gathered by a network of party members going to hospitals and health clinics and "counting dead bodies". He demanded that the government "stop killing our protesters" and called for a transitional government to pave the way for free and fair elections.

1 November

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission having won 98% of votes.

Emirates suspended its flights to and from Dar es Salaam due to the ongoing post-election unrest, stating that operations would remain halted while the situation was being monitored. In a security alert, the U.S. Embassy stated that a nationwide curfew from 6 pm to 6 am was in effect, that international flights were "intermittent," and that internet access continued to be blocked.

2 November

The main opposition party, Chadema, formally rejected the election results, calling them "completely fabricated" and stating the protests were evidence that citizens did not accept the outcome; the government rejected the claims and asserted that it would use all security avenues to maintain order. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advised against "all but essential travel to Tanzania", stating that "there are shortages of food, fuel and cash, compounded by the lack of internet services".

3 November

Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in to her new term as president, with the ceremony being held in a military parade ground in Dodoma, instead of a stadium as in previous years. While internet connectivity was widely restored throughout Tanzania on 3 November, Netblocks reported continued widespread restrictions to multiple social media and messaging platforms, thus preventing Tanzanians from transmitting and watching video. Camillus Wambura, Inspector-General of the Tanzania Police Force, blamed illegal immigrants for inciting the protests, and demanded that citizens report suspicious foreigners.

4 November

The curfew in Dar es Salaam was officially lifted by police, several days after it had been imposed.

Outbreak of protests

Protests started in Dar es Salaam during election day, with demonstrators burning tyres, blocking roads, and denouncing what they described as a "sham election". Clashes were reported near polling stations and government buildings, and several videos circulated online showing security forces firing live rounds into the air. By evening, authorities imposed a city-wide curfew, ordered businesses closed, and deployed additional police and military units.

Cross-border impact

The post-election unrest in Tanzania also affected neighbouring Kenya. In the border town of Namanga, some protesters reportedly crossed into Kenya as Tanzanian security forces fired tear gas near the border, disrupting trade and forcing shops to close. The ongoing internet shutdown in Tanzania was also felt on the Kenyan side, affecting communication in the area.

The unrest also affected neighbouring countries economies; at the border crossings of Songwe and Kasumulu between Malawi and Tanzania, transporters reported trucks stranded, customs offices vandalised and fuel supplies disrupted. Malawi’s dependence on Tanzanian ports and trade routes magnified the impact of the unrest.