Tanzania’s electoral commission on Saturday declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the national election with nearly 98% of the vote, securing her a new five-year term to lead the East African nation of about 68 million people.
The landslide victory comes amid widespread unrest that erupted during Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Protesters in several parts of the country clashed with police, tore down campaign posters of President Hassan, and set fire to government buildings.
Security forces reportedly responded with teargas and live ammunition, according to witnesses.
The demonstrations were sparked by anger over the exclusion of Hassan’s two main rivals from the ballot and allegations of political repression and unfair electoral practices.
Tanzania’s main opposition party claimed on Friday that hundreds of people had been killed during the protests, though the U.N. human rights office cited credible reports indicating at least 10 deaths across three cities.
Government officials, however, dismissed the opposition’s claims as “hugely exaggerated” and rejected accusations of human rights abuses.
Reuters noted that it could not independently verify the reported casualty figures.
President Hassan, who first assumed office in 2021 following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, now begins her first full elected term amid growing tensions and calls for accountability over the government’s handling of dissent.
