Who is Samia Suluhu Hassan? Tanzanian President re-elected with landslide victory amid violence

Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan, was re-elected following a ‘disputed’ election, winning 97.66% of the votes amid violent clashes in the east African nation, on Saturday.

The elections were held on Wednesday. The Tanzanian President was widely expected to secure an easy victory in the polls as results from 120 of the country’s 272 constituencies already showed the nation's first female leader in the lead with approximately 97% of the votes, as per multiple news agency reports.

Who is Samia Suluhu Hussain?

Samia Suluhu Hussain assumed power as Tanzania's president in 2021 after the death in office of her predecessor, John Magufuli– to govern the east African country of 68 million people.

Hussain was the vice-president back then. She attended the University of Manchester in London for graduate studies to pursue Postgraduate Diploma in Economics and entered politics in 2000.

State TV said that Samia Suluhu Hussain's swearing-in ceremony would take place today, Saturday.

Which constituencies Hussain won from?

The electoral commission said Hassan won 97.66% of the vote, dominating every constituency. It also added that the voter turnout was at 87%, mentioned a report by AFP.

The media outlet, however, also mentioned that reporters of the publication witnessed largely empty polling stations on Wednesday before election day descended into protests.

Tanzania election protests

The Tanzania president's re-election comes after violent clashes which rocked the nation.

Despite a heavy security presence, election day in Tanzania spiralled into chaos as crowds took to the streets across the east-African nation, tearing down Samia Suluhu Hussain's posters – attacking police and polling stations — prompting authorities to shutdown internet and impose a curfew.

The main opposition party – Chadema – claimed that over 700 people have been killed by security forces since Wednesday.

Tourists were left stranded after flights were cancelled, while operations at the main port at Dar es Salaam — a major economic lifeline for the country – was shuttered, according to data from tracker Vessel Finder and Dutch shipping firm C. Steinweg.

The United States even issued an advisory to its citizens living or travelling to the East African nation.

Why the protests?

Samia Suluhu Hassan's critics, and the opposition party – Chama Cha Mapinduzi – that’s ruled since independence in 1961 – went into the streets to protest the harassment of opposition leaders, claiming that it had limited the election choices.

The election was widely seen as unfair, particularly because major opposition candidates were barred from running, as per reports.