Police battle protests, internet disrupted, as Tanzania voting starts with chaos

By last evening, Tanzanian police force announced an indefinite curfew between 6pm and 6am to curb chaos. Only essential service providers would be allowed outside at this time, according to a notice issued on Wednesday.

Samia voted early on Wednesday in Chamwino near the capital Dodoma, and asked voters to show up to choose their preferred leaders. It was a similar message from 16 other fringe contenders trying to beat her to the game.

“A blessed morning and thankful to God, as I joined other voters in Chamwino to vote.

“Let’s turn out, as millions of Tanzanians have showed across the country, and vote in peace and tranquility,” she wrote on X after voting. Voting was expected to continue till 6 pm local time.

The Independent National Electoral Commission of Tanzania (INEC) did not immediately publish updates on voter turnout, nor did it comment on disruption incidents. In 2020, nearly half (49.27 percent) of the 29.7 million registered voters then turned out to vote. Most of the votes (84.4 percent) went to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) candidate John Pombe Magufuli. This time, the biggest opposition parties, ACT-Wazalendo and Chadema, were barred from fronting candidates.

But even as she said most of the voting had been peaceful, pockets of violence emerged in Dar es Salaam as rowdy youth destroyed voting material and tore down tents of a polling station before blockading roads. Verified videos shared on social media also showed some pockets of violence in other parts of the country. But was in Dar es Salaam where youth went on rampage, escalating a security situation.

In the afternoon, internet users in Tanzania reported massive internet disruptions, including the inability to make cross-border phone calls. Some local websites were also inaccessible to outsiders and journalists generally struggled to wire content.

Internet freedom watcher NetBlocks said there had been a “nationwide disruption” of internet services in Tanzania, with users reporting inability to share multimedia content on messaging apps, while other social media platforms like Facebook, X, Youtube and Instagram were either slow or not working at all.

“Confirmed: Live network data show a nationwide disruption to internet connectivity in Tanzania on election day, corroborating reports of a digital blackout; the incident comes as Tanzanians vote for a new president and parliament, with both main opposition parties barred,” the watcher said.

The security escalation forced some Western Embassies to warn their nationals to stay indoors.

“There are reports of ongoing demonstrations in multiple locations. Security services are responding,” said the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam. It asked embassy personnel to shelter in place at their residences, avoid demonstrations, avoid crowds, keep a low profile and monitor local media for updates as well as “be aware of your surroundings.”

The security situation had infected border regions with authorities at Namanga One Stop Border Point (OSBP) restricting movement between Kenya and Tanzania.

Tanzania police force (TPF) officers barricaded free movement into the country as business remained partially paralysed after shopkeepers were asked to close shop and go vote. It was also a national holiday meant to allow workers time to elect leaders. In Tanzania, voting is not compulsory but security agencies used the opportunity to impose controls nonetheless. Shopkeepers stayed away.

Cargo clearance at the customs area remained slow with police patrolling unusual areas including the ‘No-man's land. 

Hundreds of on transit trucks were parked at the border parking bay with slow movement of goods in the usually busy border entry.

At Loitokitok Tarakea border, slow movement of people and goods were reported with most traders saying they had refrained from entering Tanzania, fearing election-related violence.

On the Kenyan side, Kajiado senior police officers were holed up in a meeting the entire afternoon and did not respond to requests for comment.

Nonetheless, an advisory by SGA security services group advised Kenyans in Tanzania and those planning to travel there to exercise extreme caution following reports of protests and heightened tension as voting begins.

“Demonstrations have been observed in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, and other towns, with heavy police presence, roadblocks, and restricted movement in some areas.

“The situation remains volatile and fluid, with the potential for sudden outbreaks of violence or confrontation between protesters and security forces,” said, advising anyone to postpone travel plans, for now.

Some 37.6 million voters were expected to cast their ballots for president, MP and councillor on Wednesday (although specified categories had been allowed to vote on Tuesday in the autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar). Samia, the incumbent had inherited the seat from John Pombe Magufuli, who died in March 2021.

Results were expected within 72 hours after the end of voting.

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