In brief
The curfew in Tanzania's main city, Dar es Salaam, has been lifted following violent protests linked to disputed election results. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was inaugurated after being declared the winner with 98% of the vote, amidst claims of election malpractice and violent crackdowns. Many residents are now facing shortages of essentials and are searching for missing family members after clashes that reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities.
Tanzanian police have lifted a night-time curfew imposed since last Wednesday in the main city Dar es Salaam following deadly election protests, as life slowly returns to normal across the country.
Following the unrest, the internet was cut nationwide and most shops in Dar es Salaam closed amid acute shortages of basic essentials and soaring prices. Schools shut and public transport came to a halt.
On Tuesday, some shops reopened and traffic resumed but with queues persisting at some petrol stations in Dar es Salaam.
Families continue to search for or bury relatives killed in the clashes between the security forces and opposition supporters who denounced the poll as a sham.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in on Monday after being declared the winner of last Wednesday's election with 98% of the vote.
Observers from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) - a regional bloc which includes Tanzania - said in a preliminary report that the election fell short of democratic standards.
The two main opposition leaders were unable to contest the poll - Tundu Lissu is in detention on treason charges, which he denies, while Luhaga Mpina's candidacy was rejected on technical grounds.
Internet services are slowly being restored, though social media remains restricted. Police have warned against sharing images from the protests.
Lissu's Chadema party reported no less than 800 deaths by Saturday, while other sources indicated there is credible evidence that at least 500 people had died. The government has not provided casualty figures.
Chadema's deputy chairman John Heche has reportedly gone missing after being picked up by police.
The violent protests forced the government to take a hardline stance, prompting human rights organizations to criticize the authorities for violent suppression.
During her inauguration ceremony, President Samia acknowledged the losses but continued to downplay the situation by blaming foreign nationals for inciting violence.
Samia first came into office in 2021 as Tanzania's first female president and has recently been criticized for narrowing political space since her initial tenure.
