Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared winner of election

Election triggered days of violent protests after main rivals were excluded from presidential race.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of the country’s disputed presidential election with nearly 98 percent of the vote, after leading rivals were excluded from the race.

The final result announced by the electoral commission on Saturday showed Hassan had won 97.66 percent of Wednesday’s vote, dominating every constituency.

State media said a swearing-in ceremony would take place later on Saturday.

The election for president and parliament set off days of violent protests as demonstrators took to the streets of major cities to protest against the barring or prevention of Hassan’s main rivals from running and what they described as widespread repression.

Despite a heavy security presence, election day descended into chaos, with some demonstrators tearing down banners of Hassan and setting fire to government buildings, and police firing tear gas and gunshots, according to reports quoting witnesses.

Chadema, the main opposition force which was barred from taking part in the election, told the AFP news agency on Friday that “about 700” people had been killed, based on figures gathered from a network checking hospitals and health clinics.

Meanwhile, the UN human rights office said credible reports indicated at least 10 people were killed in three cities.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera on Friday that the authorities have acted appropriately and the election was conducted fairly.

“No excessive force has been used,” he told Al Jazeera, saying the government has “no official figures” on any protesters killed. “I’ve not seen these 700 anywhere.”

UN chief ‘deeply concerned’

Hassan, who in 2021 was elevated from vice president on the sudden death of her predecessor, John Magufuli, faced 16 candidates from smaller parties.

Chadema leader Tundu Lissu has been jailed for months, charged with treason after he called for electoral reforms that he said were a prerequisite for free and fair elections. He denies the charges. Another opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo group, was barred from running.

Rights groups allege Hassan oversaw a “wave of terror” in the country before the vote, including a string of high-profile abductions that escalated in the final days. The government has rejected criticisms of its human rights record.

Hassan has not made any public statement since the unrest began.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Tanzania, “including reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations”, his spokesman said in a statement.