Tanzania Lifts Curfew Following Violent Election Protests

Tue Nov 04 2025 21:37:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Authorities have lifted a night-time curfew in Dar es Salaam as the aftermath of post-election violence continues to unfold. The country grapples with ongoing unrest and a rising death toll amidst recovery efforts.

In the wake of deadly protests related to the recent presidential elections, Tanzanian authorities have lifted a curfew in Dar es Salaam, allowing life to gradually resume. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in after winning the election, but the violent outbursts and increasing fatalities present a grim backdrop. Reports indicate significant unrest, with families searching for missing loved ones and calls for accountability regarding excessive use of force by security forces.

Tanzanian police have lifted a night-time curfew imposed since last Wednesday in the main city Dar es Salaam after deadly protests erupted following the recent elections.

Since the unrest, which has significantly disrupted everyday life, the internet was cut nationwide, and essential goods became scarce, leading to a closed state of shops and halted public transport services.

On Tuesday, as the curfew was lifted, some shops began to reopen, and traffic resumed, although long queues persisted at petrol stations amid ongoing shortages.

Many families are still searching for relatives believed to be victims of the violence that erupted between security forces and opposition supporters protesting against what they deemed a rigged election.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was inaugurated on Monday, having secured 98% of the vote amid reports that the election process fell short of democratic standards as noted by observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The opposition leaders were unable to contest in this election, with one in custody and the other disqualified on technical grounds. The Chadema party reported over 800 deaths in the violence, contrary to vague government figures.

During her swearing-in ceremony, President Samia addressed the violence, acknowledging the significant loss of life but stating that the unrest was not unexpected, especially with allegations of foreign involvement in instigating protests.

As investigations into the events continue, human rights organizations have condemned the government's use of excessive force against protesters, urging thorough investigations into the violence perpetrated by security personnel.