President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned that violent unrest following the Oct. 29 election could jeopardize Tanzania’s access to international loans and aid. The opposition says more than 2,000 people died during three days of protests; hundreds were arrested and many charged with treason, though some detainees have since been released. Hassan, declared the winner with over 97% of the vote after opposition candidates were barred, named a new cabinet that includes close relatives and urged ministers to seek domestic funding. A Commonwealth delegation led by Malawi’s president will visit to meet officials and civil society as calm returns.
Tanzania Risks Losing International Funding After Violent Post‑Election Unrest
President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned that violent unrest following the Oct. 29 election could jeopardize Tanzania’s access to international loans and aid. The opposition says more than 2,000 people died during three days of protests; hundreds were arrested and many charged with treason, though some detainees have since been released. Hassan, declared the winner with over 97% of the vote after opposition candidates were barred, named a new cabinet that includes close relatives and urged ministers to seek domestic funding. A Commonwealth delegation led by Malawi’s president will visit to meet officials and civil society as calm returns.
12:59 AM, 11/19/2025Politics
Tanzania warns international financing could be at risk after post‑election unrest
DODOMA, Tanzania — President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned Tuesday that her government could lose access to international financing that has long supported Tanzania’s development following what she called the worst election violence in the country’s history.
The Oct. 29 vote was followed by three days of unrest. Opposition leaders say the unrest left more than 2,000 people dead; those figures have not been independently verified. Hundreds of people were arrested and many were charged with treason, though the president later ordered the release of some detainees.
"We have to look for funds internally using our God‑given resources," President Hassan said, urging her government to tap domestic sources to fund development projects.
Hassan was declared the winner with more than 97% of the vote after candidates from the two main opposition parties were barred from standing. On Monday she announced a new cabinet that includes her daughter and son‑in‑law; on Tuesday she instructed ministers to prioritize local financing amid concerns that lenders may curtail loans.
During the unrest, youth groups vandalized polling stations, police facilities and transport infrastructure and set vehicles on fire to protest what they said were limited choices in the election. The military was deployed to help restore order.
Calm largely returned after Hassan was sworn in and pledged to restore peace. A Commonwealth delegation led by Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera is due to meet Tanzanian government officials, political party representatives and civil‑society groups as the country seeks to address the fallout. Human rights groups and opposition figures have long accused Tanzanian authorities of repression, a context that observers say will shape international responses.