Tanzania’s President-elect Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday afternoon officially received her winner certificate on Saturday from Jacobs Mwambegele, chairman of the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at a ceremony in Dodoma.

The announcement confirms her victory in the October 29 presidential election.

According to the electoral body, President Samia, representing the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, secured around 31.9 million votes, representing nearly 97.7 per cent of the 32 million ballots cast. Voter turnout reached approximately 87 per cent of the nation’s 37.6 million registered voters.

“I hereby announce Samia Suluhu Hassan as the winner of the presidential election under the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party,” Jacobs Mwambegele declared, confirming her victory.

The semi-autonomous Zanzibar region also held its own elections, where CCM’s incumbent president, Hussein Mwinyi, won with close to 80 per cent of the votes.

However, the opposition in Zanzibar alleged “massive fraud”, according to the Associated Press. Mwinyi’s swearing-in ceremony is currently underway at the Amaan Complex stadium in Zanzibar.

The election followed a period of unrest across the country, with protests erupting in major cities, including Dar es Salaam.

Demonstrators, mostly young people, accused the government of stifling democracy by detaining opposition leaders and barring candidates on technical grounds. Protesters tore down Samia’s posters and clashed with security forces, despite warnings from military leaders.

The government has imposed a curfew in response, and internet blackouts have hampered the verification of casualty figures.

Opposition sources reported that around 700 people had died during the unrest. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo Thabit, however, described the violence as “a few isolated pockets of incidents” and said that security forces “acted very swiftly and decisively to address the situation”.

The United Nations expressed concern over the situation, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stating he was “deeply concerned” about the deaths and injuries during demonstrations and urging all parties to “prevent further escalation.”

Similarly, the UK, Canada, and Norway cited “credible reports of a large number of fatalities and significant injuries, as a result of the security response to protests”.

President Samia’s main rivals, Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, were effectively excluded from the race. Lissu remains jailed on treason charges, which he denies, while Mpina was disqualified on legal technicalities.

16 minor parties participated in the election, none of which traditionally commands significant support.

The CCM party, and its predecessor, Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), have ruled Tanzania since independence, and this election continues that legacy.

Samia first assumed the presidency in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, becoming the country’s first female president.

Ahead of the vote, rights organisations, including Amnesty International, criticised the government for repression and human rights violations, which the authorities denied, insisting the elections were free and fair.

Despite the large official margin, the election has amplified concerns about Tanzania’s democratic processes and the limited space for opposition in the political arena.