The morning of October 29, 2025, started with anticipation and anxiety of voting and likelihood of protest, which many in the country believing there won’t be any protests due to past experiences. The Chanzo reporters were able to visit several voting station between 9:30am and 10:30am, while there were no many lines like in the past elections, the process was continuing smoothly in many areas, as election official were waiting in many areas to welcome people to vote. Key politicians, candidates, civil servant, ruling party officials were also rushing for their photo-op during voting, which were widely circulated across media.
On social media, there were already back and forth discussion regarding the announced election day protest. Activist had announced that there would be a national wide protest on October 29, against decline in multiparty democracy evidenced by the widely considered non-competitive election and series of abduction in the country.
The protest messages had picked up pace on Tiktok, with young people showcasing their support through messages, dance videos and through what was designated as the protest’s spiritual song, Makomborero (not the actual title), a song from South African group, it was considered anyone who put on the song, which was non-political was in support of the protest. Just before 10am, many people had concluded that there would be no protest, with the ruling party supporters cheering on social media on how the day was going so far.
The Protest
Things started to change at around 10am, when in several areas including Kimara and Ubungo in Dar es Salaam, pocket of protest were started to be observed. At around 11am election day protest had caught steam in several areas along Morongoro road. Our reporters visited Tip-top area, in Mazese Dar es Salaam, were protesters were gathering.
‘You! get off the car’, a young lady of about 18 or 19 years, riding behind the motorcycle of another young man of a similar age shouted at our reporters as he was trying to park his car in a nearby fuel station. At the area most of the protester seen were hardly above 20-years, no one seem hardly to be a leader, but it was angry and determine group of protesters who repeatedly shouted, each one using his word, but all communicating messages against the election and country’s political situation.
As the young men were filing the road, some of them took a bus station stall seating across the street and drag it to the centre of the main road, others were attacking the rapid transit bus abandoned and the station with stones. In recent years, following the failure of the Bus Rapid Transit system in serving people, the rapid transit buses have become one of the symbols of people’s anger to the government.
At around 11: 25, two police cars with armed police were seen from a distance rushing coming from Morogoro road toward Tip-top/Mabibo junction, the first vehicle with uniformed officers, went in front of the protesters and stood there, with two police officers getting off the a vehicle and desperately cordon off the road, with no means to contain what was happening before them.
The second car which came from the Mabibo market, came with non-uniformed official who most had heavy weapon standing on cart truck bed, as the vehicle was approaching the protesters, the driver increased the speed, as if he was going to crush the protesters. The protesters seeing the way that car was coming, some of them, were showing signs of running away, as many had anticipated police fire; however, amidst the situation one of them shouted, ‘do not run, take stones’, immediately each one of them grabbed stones, as the vehicle was approaching, before it could act, it was already stoned mercilessly, the driver had to speed off away.
Although many of the young men in the protest were cursing with slur words, their complaints were clear, many repeating; ‘what kind of an election is this…?’ , ‘they though it will be easy, just to abduct people …’ some of the protesters who were caught by our camera speak among themselves as they were doing various activities. One thing that was clear, there was no plan, or a leader on what would happen next, most were learning and deciding about the following step as the situation unfold.
By 12 am the internet was already throttled, with many of mobile network internet only accessed through VPN. The protest was now widespread across Dar es Salaam with the burning of government properties, fuel station and targeting businesses, breaking in the plots and properties of the ruling party supporters was widespread. Some of the properties destroyed including passenger buses of ruling party leaders such as those belonging to Shebiby, CCM Mp, and Esther Coach, many associating them with one of the rulling party leader.Businesses involving local artist who most of them are ruling party supporters were also targeted and burned down, this include shop belonging to artist Bill Nas and Shishi.
Curfew, TPDF issues a statement
In several places, election returning officers and their assistants had to run and leave their post together with the police guarding them. A make shift tent was set near Oysterbay Police to provide refuge to some of them who could not reach their home in time. By evening the internet was completely shutdown, and was not accessible by any means. The protest had spread in several other regions in the country such as Arusha and Tunduma, in Tunduma the protest was heavily intensified with the burning of several properties taking place including court building, governmnet vehicle and over 5000 trucks were stuck along the border.
The day ended with an announcement of curfew, all movement were restrained from 6pm going forward.
The morning of October 30, 2025, the internet remained off, with the main means of communication being normal calls, many people were relying on calls to report what was happening in their vicinity and tell each other how things were progressing including overnight progress. In several areas guns and police bombs were heard overnight as police attend incidents, for example in Mikocheni B, one of the classrooms which was used for voting, at Ushindi primary school, it was set on fire, at around 4pm the firetruck and police arrived to contain, the police shot in the air three times to order neighbors who had collectively come to extinguish the fire to go back to their residence.
Protest continued to spread in other areas of the country including Mwanza, Kahama and Mbeya, with Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Tunduma protest and burning of things continued. Since the first day of the protest, there were several reports of people getting shot by the police, in Dar es Salaam some of the injured were taken to Muhimbili, Lugalo and Amana hospital, in several places deaths were recorded in most cases being onlookers caught stray bullets. On the second day, the Electoral Commision started to read out the results through Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.
Government also ordered it employees to work at home and encourage private sector to do so unless it was necessary to go out. On day two, the army through the Chief of Defense Forces, General Jacob Mkunda issued an alert ordering citizens to avoid unnecessary risk, by refraining from criminal behaviors, such as destroying of government properties. The message was repeated by all radio and television.
“Fellow citizens, yesterday October 29, 2025, our country held a general election. As the exercise was continuing some criminal activities emerged in various areas of the country, implemented by people who do not wish well our country. This criminal activities involved destruction of public infrastructures, private properties. This are criminal actions and are not accepted and should be stopped immediately. The Tanzania’s People Defense Forces together with other security organs have contained the situation and continue to strengthen security situation of our country,” Mkunda said.
“Fellow citizens, it should be noted that our country is guided by the principle of laws which should be adhered to and respected. TPDF calls on all people involving themselves in criminal activities to stop immediately so as to avoid unnecessary harm to our society well being and the nation. If this criminal activities continue, TPDF in cooperation with other security organs will continue to take necessary steps in accordance to the law.”
Security Intensified, Shortage of basic needs hit
On October 31, 2025, the situation in Dar es Salaam became calmer than the two days before, with military setting check post at various areas, were anyone passing was asked for ID and asked briefly where he was heading or coming from.
While since the day before an election people were panicking buy, day three became even more intense as fuel was not available across the city. In areas like village supermarket, a supermarket available in upscale area of Masaki, it was full with people in a brief moment when it was opened, at around 3:30 pm The Chanzo reporters witnessed when the supermarket was intending to close, people were still begging to get inside and buy whatever they need for their use. Usually the place is busy, but on the day it was so full, outside there was no space for parking.
Local shops across Dar es Salaam, especially those along the main roads were opening carefully, which in most cases briefly and closing; or a shopper will seat outside the shop and open when a customer shows up. In some areas shop owners were buying from other retailers to retail the goods at a margin in their vicinity, as most wholesale suppliers were not available, and those available it was hard to reach them due to fuel issues.
Motorcyle taxi drivers became increasingly important for delivery of goods, but even them faced a challenge of fuel. In some road your could find drivers, pulling their motorcyle in empty roads after the fuel has dried out, in most cases they had to get creative by asking car owners to help them with fuel or even from parked car in some garage, where garage operator will supply to them.
The army set up the station point for selling fuel on October 30, 2025, around Mikocheni area, but this was only for a brief moment, later its station near Kawe, also supplied fuel to various users, but this was also halted and they remained to supply fuel for key uses including police vehicle and ambulances.
At the national broadcaster the main news was the reading of election results, as well as carefully curated messages to encourage peace as well as showing the success of the voting exercise. Private broadcasters, especially radio one and ITV was able to get opinion from people, with major complaints being of people being by the police when they move around, challenge of buying food and fuel. In the informal market fuel was going between Tsh. 7000 to Tsh. 8000 per litre from Tsh 2670 per litre from normal fuel station.
News about what was going was mostly shared through phone calls and SMS. People where busy calling each other sharing any new information regarding the protest especially incidents of people being shot to death in their area, as well as new areas were protests have emerged such as Songea region. Bodies of people who were shot, were reportedly being picked up in major cities including Dar es Salaam and Arusha. Some funerals of the victims were also being held amidst the tense situation.
Rumors also started to circulate through phone calls and SMS, including one that water was poisoned by water authorities in Dar es Salaam, so as to make people sick not to protest, and that electricity will be cut for foreseeable future, both rumors were denied by DAWASCO and TANESCO respectively.Another rumour was that the body of the former Ambassador, who turned to government critic, Humphrey Polepole, who was abducted earlier in October 2025, had been found.
Election Results
On November 01, 2025, at around 8:00am the Electoral Commission announced final results of the election that saw Samia Suluhu winning 97.6 percent of the votes in an unprecedented voting statistics, equivalent to 31,913,866 votes out of 32,678,844 valid votes.
The voting statistics and the turnout number show a record level statistic in the history of multiparty elections in the country. A total number of registered voters in this election was reported to be 37,647,235, meaning the voters turn out is in the range of 87 percent.
The voting statistics is even more incredible when compared with November 2022 Census data. The census statistics shows the number of people in Tanzania aged 15 and above was 35,341,131, meaning about 92.5 percent of all people of voting age in the country went out and voted in this election, which can be considered as a statistical feat and astonishing record in itself.
In her statement after the announcement Samia said the incidents that happened in the country over the past day were not patriotic. The results of the election was received by all participating parties, the candidates joined Samia in a ceremony where she was presented with the winning certificate. Tanzania main opposition party CHADEMA has released a statement citing the result has no basis in reality and does not reflect the will of the people.
Preparation for Swear-in, police warn on foreign actors
The Sunday of November 02, 2025, many churches had announced there will be no service. The main news was the preparation of the swear-in of the president and Vice-president, which was set to be held at military ground, Gwaride ground in Dodoma from 10am on November 03, 2025.
On November 02, 2025, Government Spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa, issued a statement highlighting that public servants will continue to work from home on Monday.
“Public Servant will continue to work from home, also student will also continue to study from home. We have also advised private sector employers, that their employees should do the same. To those employers who will see there is a need of their staff to go to work, for example those working in hospitals, and other areas they can go to work,” Msigwa said.
He continued: “It should be noted that citizens are not barred from moving around, when it is necessary for somebody to get out of his home, the procedure placed by our security organs, is that if you have an ID, when you reach places with security officers barriers, you just have to tell those officers who you are and you are going to this place for this needs. This is not for the whole country, there are many places where the situation is calm and people continue to get their needs as usual.”
Police spokesperson, David Misime also issue a statement regarding foreign actors who have entered the country for the purpose of undertaking criminal activities.
“Tanzania Police Force has received information regarding individuals who are not Tanzanian who have entered the country through unofficial channels with the aim of undertaking criminal activities including causing chaos. They pose as people doing various activities including working as motorcyle taxi drivers,” Misime said.
“The information shows those people are in Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Mwanza and Songwe as well as other regions. Any citizen who have rented a house or live with any foreign resident whose activity is not known and has questionable character should provide that information to street leaders, police station chiefs, District Police Officers, Regional Police Commanders or should call 0699968899. If he fail to provide that information and those people are found in their home or businesses, tough action will be taken against them.”
The Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, also asked hotel, and guest house owners to provide information to the Police and government officials regarding any suspicious person in their establishment, and remind them to ensure they record ID of all person in their establishment. He also announced they have allowed those who want to travel to other regions, while implementing special security procedures.
