Tanzania in turmoil after elections: The country faced a communications blackout Thursday following chaotic elections marked by violence and unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan aimed to consolidate power in largely uncontested polls, with main challengers jailed or barred from standing. Hundreds took to the streets as violence erupted. AFP reporters witnessed a police station burned in Dar es Salaam, and polling stations attacked.
Protesters also tore down presidential images in several areas. A diplomatic source reported unconfirmed accounts of 30+ fatalities, but internet and international call restrictions make verification nearly impossible.
Most foreign journalists were barred from the country during elections. Local media, heavily controlled, has provided no updates since early Wednesday.
Schools and colleges closed, civil servants told to work from home, and gunshots were still heard across Dar es Salaam, AFP reported.
Rights groups had warned of a “wave of terror” leading up to the elections, citing high-profile abductions in recent days.On semi-autonomous Zanzibar, the situation remained calm, but ferries to the mainland were suspended.
Tourists at the airport reported being stranded, unable to communicate, and struggling with cash shortages as card payments failed.
Diplomatic sources say the country’s future is uncertain, with President Hassan’s status “unclear.”
The government has issued no statements about the unrest, leaving the situation largely unverified amid the blackout.
