Last Wednesday was meant to be a day of peaceful democracy in Tanzania, instead it descended into chaos. As voters headed to the polls, protests erupted in Dar es Salaam and other major cities after the main opposition candidates were barred from the presidential race.

Angry demonstrators clashed with police, prompting a nationwide curfew and military deployment. Reports of looting, vandalism, and deadly skirmishes filled social media as internet access was throttled and phone networks went down.

Vote counting continues but early results from state media show President Samia Suluhu Hassan with a sweeping lead. The European Parliament has already condemned the polls as neither free nor fair, calling them a “fraud unfolding for months.”

Critics say Tanzania, once a beacon of peace, is slipping into authoritarianism. Analysts warn the nation risks becoming a de facto one party state unless deep political and constitutional reforms take place.