“Tanzania Is Bleeding”: Fear and Uncertainty Grip Nation Ahead of Samia Suluhu’s Inauguration

Tanzania remains tense as President-elect Samia Suluhu Hassan prepares for her swearing-in, while the country struggles under a nationwide internet blackout and mounting reports of mass killings. The opposition and rights groups claim security forces have killed hundreds since last week’s disputed election, which the electoral commission declared a landslide win for Hassan with 98 percent of the vote.

The main opposition party, Chadema, which was blocked from contesting, has denounced the results as a “sham.” It has called for new elections and an international investigation. Instead of the usual open ceremony in a stadium, the inauguration is set to take place behind closed doors at State House in Dodoma, with the public barred from attending.

Internet access has been shut down since election day, making it nearly impossible to confirm reports from across the country. Diplomatic sources say hospitals have recorded hundreds, possibly thousands, of deaths. Chadema claims at least 800 people have died, though none of the figures can be independently verified. The government has denied using “excessive force” but has remained silent about the number of casualties.

Security forces continue to patrol major cities under tight restrictions. In Dar es Salaam, police stop pedestrians, search vehicles, and demand identification. Schools and universities are closed, and public transport has been suspended. Shops open briefly, while residents describe a climate of fear and silence. Observers believe the blackout is being used to conceal evidence and trace those who filmed the violence.

In Zanzibar, armed men in masks and without insignia have been seen patrolling the streets. A Kenyan rights group released disturbing footage showing what it claimed were bodies on Tanzanian streets, though the videos remain unverified.

Global concern is rising. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” about reports of deaths and injuries. Pope Leo XIV urged Tanzanians to reject violence and “choose dialogue over division.”

Analysts say Hassan’s overwhelming win was meant to cement her authority after the death of John Magufuli in 2021. However, critics accuse her of ruling through fear. As her inauguration approaches, Tanzania stands divided, disconnected, and deeply scarred — a nation in the dark, crying out that “Tanzania is bleeding.”