Tanzania’s President on Tuesday warned that unprecedented election-related violence could undermine the country’s access to the international financing that supports much of its economy.
The unrest followed the 29 October elections, during which the opposition claims more than 2,000 people were killed in three days of protests, while hundreds were arrested and charged with treason.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who secured over 97% of the vote after key opposition candidates were barred, cautioned that lenders may reconsider their support due to the turmoil. She urged her newly announced cabinet, unveiled Monday and including her daughter and son-in-law, to prioritise internal revenue generation to fund development projects.
During the violence, youth torched vehicles and vandalised polling and police stations as anger grew over limited electoral choices, prompting military intervention. Calm gradually returned after Hassan’s swearing-in, accompanied by assurances that peace would be restored. A Commonwealth delegation led by Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera is expected to meet government officials, political parties and civil society representatives as the country seeks to address the fallout from the most volatile elections in its recent history.