Overview
- Election officials credited President Samia Suluhu Hassan with about 98% of the vote and she was sworn in at a tightly controlled ceremony that excluded the public, with opposition parties barred and rejecting the results.
- After a days-long blackout, internet access has partially returned and police sent mass texts warning that sharing graphic images could trigger criminal charges, as curbs ease and transport, fuel stations, and shops begin reopening.
- Human Rights Watch condemned lethal force used against protesters, the UN and others called for independent probes, and opposition and church figures alleged hundreds to more than 1,000 deaths, which remain unverified as the government denies excessive force.
- The SADC observer mission’s preliminary report said most voters could not express their democratic will, citing intimidation and very low turnout that contradicts official participation claims.
- Unrest and connectivity curbs have hampered East African commerce, with Dar es Salaam port operations disrupted, ships rerouted to Mombasa, trucks stranded at border posts, remittances affected, and Kenya’s trade minister warning of shaken investor confidence.