Samia Sworn In After Disputed Election

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in for a full five-year term after the electoral commission declared her the winner of the Oct. 29 election with roughly 97–98% of the vote. The vote was widely contested after major opposition parties — notably CHADEMA and its leader Tundu Lissu — were barred or sidelined, with Lissu detained on treason charges and other opposition candidates disqualified. Mass protests erupted and were met with a heavy security response that included curfews, reports of abductions, an internet blackout and limited public attendance at an invite-only inauguration in Dodoma. Regional observers, including monitors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), reported intimidation, restricted observer access and irregularities suggesting ballot‑stacking, concluding the polls fell short of SADC standards for free and fair elections. Casualty claims remain disputed: opposition figures and rights groups allege hundreds killed and circulated videos show dead protesters, while U.N. briefings, some monitors and the government report far lower or unverified tolls and authorities deny excessive force.