https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/Tanzania held its general election on 29 October 2025 with opposition leader Tundu Lissu in detention on a treason charge and CHADEMA barred from the vote by the electoral commission. The commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner with 97.66 percent, while protests, a curfew and an internet shutdown followed, and death tolls given by the government inquiry, the opposition and the UN differ widely. Lissu's treason trial reached its final stage in 2026, with judgment due on 6 November 2026.enhttps://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e34tanzania-2025-election-2ff72d2494Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000CHADEMA declared seven days of mourning from 29 October to 4 November to mark a year since the election, AP reported. On the anniversary the Catholic Church held masses for the victims and Dar es Salaam's streets were quiet under a heavy police presence, AFP reported. CHADEMA puts the death toll at about 2,000, which the UN said it could not verify, against the inquiry's figure of at least 518.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e35tanzania-2025-election-233561c8beThu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000UN human rights experts said the public summary of the inquiry report gave no findings on perpetrators or individual accountability and called for the full report to be published. They said no state officials had been charged a year after the violence and that the second commission had no detailed public mandate.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e33tanzania-2025-election-34ef18c5b2Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Lissu refused food in prison over access to his lawyers, his party and lawyer said. Accounts differ on whether it began on 26 or 27 October, and his lawyer told AP it ended on 27 October. The prisons service denied he was on hunger strike. Judgment is due on 6 November.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e32tanzania-2025-election-b270ff267cMon, 28 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000Lissu made his final submission from 23 to 28 September, asking for an unbiased and courageous verdict. The prosecution was due to reply on 29 September and says its evidence meets the legal threshold.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e31tanzania-2025-election-b1f6e4e3f9Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000Lissu closed his defence on 18 September. Africanews reported that three senior security officials he sought as witnesses declined to testify. The Chanzo reported that Lissu said the Director of Criminal Investigations had declined and that summonses for the police chief and the defence forces chief could not be served because they were abroad.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e30tanzania-2025-election-e1fef6c797Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000A three-judge High Court bench presided over by Judge Dunstan Ndunguru ruled that Lissu must present a defence. Lissu asked the court to summon senior officials, including President Hassan, as witnesses, AFP reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e29tanzania-2025-election-0db39781aaMon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000The prosecution closed its case after 17 witnesses testified. The Chanzo reported that 30 had been listed. Lissu argued there was no case to answer.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e28tanzania-2025-election-ce531622f8Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000The trial resumed with testimony from police witness ACP Amin Mahamba, The Citizen reported. It had been stayed since February while the prosecution sought a Court of Appeal revision, which that court dismissed on 30 July, according to The Chanzo.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e27tanzania-2025-election-302dbe4816Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hassan appointed a special criminal inquiry commission chaired by Court of Appeal judge Shabani Ally Lila, with three retired High Court judges, to determine those involved in planning, coordinating and financing the violence, The Chanzo and The Citizen reported. It followed a recommendation in the Othman report.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e26tanzania-2025-election-0f4650212cSat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000CHADEMA and ACT-Wazalendo rejected the report, AFP reported. Opposition and religious groups say thousands were killed, and Western diplomats estimated 1,000 to 2,000 deaths, according to AFP.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e25tanzania-2025-election-8351d3d273Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Othman commission reported at least 518 deaths and 2,390 people wounded, including 120 police officers, AFP and AP reported. AP said more than 800 had gunshot wounds and 245 people remained unaccounted for. The commission ruled out mass graves, and Othman said the protests were planned and coordinated by people who had been recruited and trained, according to AP.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e24tanzania-2025-election-bcfcb2e6f3Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in Opinion No. 74/2025, found Lissu's detention arbitrary and asked the government to release him and pay compensation. The opinion did not end the domestic case.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e23tanzania-2025-election-dea04b34c9Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000Speaking to diplomats in Dodoma, Hassan expressed sympathy for the internet shutdown and service restrictions they experienced and said the government would work to prevent a repeat, while defending the measures as necessary, AP reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e22tanzania-2025-election-e286e495f4Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000Streets in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Arusha were mostly empty as police patrolled ahead of planned protests, AP reported. The government cancelled Independence Day celebrations, and Human Rights Watch said at least 10 people had been arrested since mid-November over social media posts about the protests.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e21tanzania-2025-election-0857c39bf4Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000The US State Department said it was comprehensively reviewing its relationship with the government of Tanzania over repression and violence against civilians. Days earlier, Hassan had described the violence as an attempted coup and accused Western nations, religious leaders and opposition figures of interfering in internal affairs, NPR reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e20tanzania-2025-election-9917abb563Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The Director of Public Prosecutions began withdrawing election-related treason charges, with 139 people freed in Mwanza, The Citizen reported. The Chanzo reported that the DPP went on to drop charges against hundreds of people.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e19tanzania-2025-election-0454745c38Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The government named a commission of inquiry chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman to examine the causes and circumstances of the unrest during and after the 29 October election.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e18tanzania-2025-election-c56429f448Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000Opening parliament in Dodoma, Hassan announced an investigation into the unrest and directed the Director of Public Prosecutions and security agencies to review the cases of arrested young people. The BBC reported at least 240 people had been charged with treason.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e17tanzania-2025-election-38c2db3bc7Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said information from multiple sources suggested hundreds were killed, which the UN could not verify. He cited reports that security forces removed bodies to undisclosed locations and called for Lissu's release.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e16tanzania-2025-election-2498982e69Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000Tanzanian authorities had charged hundreds of people with treason, and police issued arrest warrants for CHADEMA secretary-general John Mnyika and communications director Brenda Rupia, Reuters reported. The Catholic Church in Tanzania said hundreds were likely killed, while CHADEMA said more than 1,000 were.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e15tanzania-2025-election-62f1e6fe9aFri, 07 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000Reuters reported at least 145 people charged with treason, citing court documents, while AP cited a charge sheet accusing at least 76 of intending to obstruct the 29 October election. CHADEMA and rights activists said more than 1,000 people were killed, a figure the government rejected without giving its own.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e13tanzania-2025-election-694bd69efaWed, 05 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The AU Election Observation Mission, led by former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, said the polls did not comply with AU principles. It reported ballot stuffing, restrictions on observers and an internet blackout, and said it regretted the loss of lives.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e14tanzania-2025-election-9d3204fb2cWed, 05 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The East African Community mission of 67 observers, led by former Ugandan Vice-President Speciosa Kazibwe, said most polling stations opened on time and security personnel did not intimidate voters, according to the state-owned Daily News. It noted violence in parts of Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. A Pan African Visions analysis said the statement did not address the internet blackout.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e11tanzania-2025-election-f52d94cae6Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000Hassan took the oath of office at a military base in Dodoma, Reuters reported. Capital FM said the ceremony was closed to the public and attended by senior government and security officials.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e12tanzania-2025-election-c9ffa43b59Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The SADC Election Observer Mission, led by former Malawi Speaker Richard Msowoya, said in a preliminary statement that the election fell short of SADC principles. It cited arrests and disqualifications of opposition figures, internet outages and limits on court challenges to presidential results.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e10tanzania-2025-election-91cfcc3ba0Sat, 01 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000The electoral commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan elected with 97.66 percent and more than 31.9 million votes, on a turnout near 87 percent of 37.6 million registered voters, Reuters reported. CHADEMA had called the election a "coronation".https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e9tanzania-2025-election-0ee4b35200Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000The UN human rights office said credible reports put the dead at at least 10 in three cities. The main opposition party said about 700 were killed, and Amnesty International said it had information that at least 100 died. The government referred to the deaths as isolated incidents, according to Africanews, and called the opposition toll hugely exaggerated, according to Reuters.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e7tanzania-2025-election-61d06a77d7Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000Voting took place on 29 October as protests broke out in several parts of the country over the exclusion of the two main challengers. An overnight curfew was imposed in Dar es Salaam that day, and People Daily reported Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo as saying it ran from 6 pm to 6 am.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e8tanzania-2025-election-d9fd7e0c5eWed, 29 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000Internet access was cut from election day for six days, according to AP. Foreign Minister Kombo blamed small groups of vandals for the shutdown, according to People Daily. The UN human rights office urged its restoration.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/tanzania-2025-election/#e6tanzania-2025-election-0a2b6ee74dMon, 15 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000The electoral commission upheld an objection by Attorney General Hamza Saidi Johari and barred the ACT-Wazalendo party's presidential nomination of Luhaga Mpina. Reuters reported this reversed a decision two days earlier to accept his papers after a High Court ruling.