Tanzania has been rocked by widespread Gen Z-led protests following a disputed presidential election on October 29, 2025, where incumbent Samia Suluhu Hassan secured a landslide victory with over 97% of the vote amid the disqualification of her main opponents. Security forces responded with lethal force, including live ammunition and tear gas, triggering violent clashes in cities like Dar es Salaam and Arusha that left public buses torched and polling stations vandalised. Young activists, frustrated by rising living costs, barred opposition candidates, and Hassan's tightening authoritarian grip, drew inspiration from successful uprisings in Madagascar and Nepal earlier in the year.

The crackdown escalated into one of Tanzania's deadliest political crises, with opposition party Chadema estimating up to 2,000 deaths—far exceeding initial claims of 700—while accusing police of disposing of bodies to conceal the toll. Human Rights Watch and the UN documented at least 10 confirmed killings but expressed alarm over broader abuses, including an internet blackout that hampered verification. Curfews, military deployments, and treason charges against over 240 protesters followed, as families held funerals across townships for victims amid ongoing repression.

Hassan, sworn in for her first fully elected term on November 3 in Dodoma under heavy security, blamed "foreigners" for instigating the unrest and vowed unity while deploying forces to restore order. The African Union and regional bodies criticised the poll for failing democratic standards, citing ballot-stuffing, observer restrictions, and the barring of Chadema leader Tundu Lissu on treason charges and ACT-Wazalendo's Luhaga Mpina on technicalities.

Also Read: Internet Disrupted in Tanzania On Election Day as Ruling Party Seeks to Extend 64-Year Rule

Activists like 25-year-old David Nyakakye in Arusha, who mobilised against economic hardship and electoral exclusions, now remain in hiding as hospitals overflow with wounded and neighbourhoods face patrols. The protests mark a stark escalation from Hassan's early promises of reform after succeeding John Magufuli in 2021, with rights groups decrying a "wave of terror" including abductions and torture.

As Tanzania grapples with international condemnation and domestic fractures, the Gen Z movement—coordinated via social media despite blackouts—signals a generational challenge to the ruling CCM party's six-decade dominance, with calls for reforms echoing far beyond the ballot box. The unrest has spilt over borders, disrupting trade with Kenya, while Hassan’s overwhelming mandate underscores the high cost of dissent in a nation once praised for stability.

Also Read: Tanzania Election: Ruling Party Expected to Win Again, Extending Six-Decade Rule