Overview
- The African Union’s observation mission, led by former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, said the election did not comply with AU principles and cited ballot stuffing, a nationwide internet blackout, restricted monitors, and excessive force.
- The Southern African Development Community issued a rare censure that voters could not freely express their will, pointing to disqualified opposition candidates and an uneven playing field.
- Tanzania’s electoral commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with about 98% and she was sworn in on November 3, as officials rejected foreign criticism and blamed unrest on outside instigators.
- Protests erupted across several cities after the vote with videos showing lethal force by security units; authorities have not released a death toll, while the opposition alleges hundreds killed and some reports suggest higher figures.
- Rights groups and legal bodies reported a constrained environment before the polls, including enforced disappearances, treason charges against opposition leader Tundu Lissu, and a six‑day connectivity shutdown that limited transparency.