Tanzania imposed a virtual lockdown on its major cities Tuesday, deploying police and soldiers in force and declaring all protests illegal as the nation marked its Independence Day amid deepening anger over a disputed presidential election.
The government warned that any demonstration would be treated as an attempted coup. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa directed non-essential public workers to stay home, and public transport was suspended in several urban areas.
Streets in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam were largely deserted. Police trucks patrolled major intersections, officers conducted vehicle checks, and roadblocks were set up around key government buildings, including the heavily guarded offices of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Similar measures were in place in the administrative capital Dodoma and the northern city of Arusha.
By midday, the situation remained calm, although some residents and social media posts claimed small protests had broken out in parts of Dar es Salaam. The Associated Press could not immediately verify those reports.
Election controversy fuels crisis
The restrictions come six weeks after the Oct. 29 election in which Hassan was declared the winner with nearly 98% of the vote. Main opposition candidates had been barred from running, and the leading opposition party, Chadema, rejected the results as fraudulent.
Earlier protests against the outcome were met with a severe crackdown. United Nations human rights experts said last week that at least 700 people are estimated to have been killed, many in extrajudicial executions. More than 2,000 others were detained. The government has confirmed deaths occurred but has not provided its own figure.
Hassan last month appointed a commission to investigate the post-election violence while continuing to insist that security forces did not use excessive force.
International backlash grows
The United States said last week it is reviewing its relationship with Tanzania, citing violence against civilians along with concerns over religious freedom, freedom of expression and restrictions on investment.
In the months before the vote, opposition leaders and human rights groups accused authorities of orchestrating the abduction of dozens of government critics. Hassan said in 2024 that she had ordered investigations into the disappearances, but no results have been released.
Independence Day under lockdown
Tuesday marked Tanzania’s 64th anniversary of independence from Britain, a holiday normally celebrated with parades and public events. This year, many cities observed the day in near silence under the weight of the security operation.
With opposition figures jailed, in exile or under surveillance, and the government showing no willingness to relent, the standoff has raised fears of a prolonged political crisis in the East African nation of more than 65 million people.
