Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan Sworn In To Start Her First Elected Term

Tanzania, 3 November 2025 - Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn into office on Monday for her first elected term, having inherited the presidency following the death of her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli, in 2021.

Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi was also sworn in.

Hassan secured a landslide victory in an election that sparked deadly protests across the country on 29 October 2025.

She was declared the winner of last week's election with 31,913,866 votes, amounting to 97.66 per cent of the total ballots cast, according to official results announced by Jacobs Mwambegele, the chairperson of the Independent National Elections Commission (INEC), who stated that the country had 37.6 million registered voters.

Wearing a red headscarf and dark glasses, she took the oath of office at a ceremony on a military base in the administrative capital, Dodoma.

Leaders who attended the event include Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh and Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

Kenya’s Deputy President Kithure Kindiki represented President William Ruto.

Political analyst Gwandumi Mwakatobe commented on the event, from which members of the public were not invited to cheer their leader.

“There was nothing to celebrate after the country witnessed atrocities meted out to protesters and civilians,” Mwakatobe told Deutsche Welle.

Journalist Dotto Bulendu, who covered the election from Dodoma—including the official declaration of the poll results from Uchaguzi House—said that clerics at the swearing-in ceremony urged President Hassan to tackle the challenge ahead: uniting Tanzanians.

The President said, “Now that Tanzanians have the Head of State, let us work together and avoid acts that could destabilise our country.”

“I am sad that people have died and there has been destruction of people's property. Some of the youths who participated in the protests are not Tanzanians,” added President Hassan.

Hassan, 65, ran against only candidates from minor parties after her main challengers from the two largest opposition parties were disqualified from the race.

Those edged out are Tundu Lissu of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo.

Violent protests broke out during last Wednesday's voting, with some demonstrators setting fire to government buildings and police firing tear gas and live rounds, according to witnesses.

The main opposition party, CHADEMA, claimed that hundreds of people—around 700—had been killed in the protests, while the United Nations human rights office said credible reports indicated at least 10 people were killed in three cities.

The government dismissed the opposition's death toll as “hugely exaggerated”.

However, on Monday there were claims that the death toll could exceed 1,000, allegations which Dawan Africa could not independently verify.

Kenyan activist and human rights defender, Hussein Khalid, who is the Executive Director and CEO of Vocal Africa, said that whereas there has been scanty information that pertains to the current situation of human rights in Tanzania after the Internet blockade, they have managed to track data and that they are updating as things unfold.

“Once we have gathered enough data in collaboration with Tanzanian activists, we shall take the next course of action and move to international courts to seek justice,” Khalid said.

He added that citizens in East African countries are bedeviled by same challenges, ranging from abductions, election irregularities, and bad governance.