Tanzania Lifts Curfew Amidst Aftermath of Deadly Election Protests

Mon Nov 10 2025 22:01:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following a turbulent election marked by violence and unrest, Tanzania's main city, Dar es Salaam, sees the lifting of a night-time curfew as residents begin to return to normalcy amidst ongoing concerns over casualties and political tensions.

The Tanzanian government has lifted a curfew imposed during unrest following the recent elections. The elections were marred by violence, leading to a nationwide internet blackout and casualties among protesters and security forces. As President Samia Suluhu Hassan begins her term after a controversial election victory, questions about the legitimacy of the election process and the treatment of dissenters loom large.

Tanzanian police have lifted a night-time curfew imposed since last Wednesday in the main city Dar es Salaam following deadly election protests, as life slowly returns to normal across the country.

Following the unrest, the internet was cut nationwide and most shops in Dar es Salaam closed amid acute shortages of basic essentials and soaring prices. Schools shut and public transport came to a halt.

On Tuesday, some shops reopened and traffic resumed but with queues persisting at some petrol stations in Dar es Salaam.

Families continue to search for or bury relatives killed in the clashes between the security forces and opposition supporters who denounced the poll as a sham.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in on Monday after being declared the winner of last Wednesday's election with 98% of the vote.

Observers from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) said in a preliminary report that the election fell short of democratic standards. The two main opposition leaders were unable to contest the poll. Tundu Lissu is in detention on treason charges, which he denies, while Luhaga Mpina's candidacy was rejected on technical grounds.

Lissu's Chadema party reported no less than 800 deaths, while a diplomatic source indicated at least 500 fatalities. The government has not given casualty figures.

Human Rights Watch criticized the authorities for responding to protests with lethal force and called for accountability. Amnesty International expressed alarm over the excessive use of force that resulted in deaths and injuries among protesters.

As the new president begins her term, she acknowledges the violence, noting that some of those arrested were foreign nationals.

Samia first came into office in 2021 as Tanzania's first female president following the death of President John Magufuli. Initially praised for easing political repression, the current political climate suggests a tightening of freedoms under her administration.