Passengers stranded at Tanzania airports as contested election disrupts air travel
Hundreds of travelers were left stranded at airports across Tanzania this weekend following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s official re-election victory with over 97% of the vote in a widely contested poll. All domestic flights were grounded, and many international passengers could not access booking information due to a widespread internet blackout.“We’re trying to get from Zanzibar to Paris, but the Zanzibar–Nairobi leg has been cancelled, so we’re stuck,” said French tourist Irvine René at Zanzibar Airport. “We don’t know where to stay or sleep tonight. We’ll see what happens.” The UK, US, and Canada have issued travel warnings advising against all trips to Tanzania after last week’s election was marred by violence. Protesters flooded major cities, demanding a halt to vote counting and denouncing the results. Security forces, backed by the military, were deployed to suppress riots. Internet access has been intermittent, severely disrupting travel and daily life.The outcome has heightened criticism from opposition groups and observers who described the election as a “coronation” rather than a genuine contest. President Hassan’s two leading challengers — Tundu Lissu of Chadema and Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo — were barred from running, leaving her effectively unchallenged. Tanzanian officials have not disclosed casualty figures from the unrest.UN human rights spokesman Seif Magango reported credible accounts of at least 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the situation and called on all sides to avoid further escalation. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, Canada, and Norway cited “credible reports of numerous deaths and serious injuries” stemming from the security response to protests. The European Union urged authorities to show “maximum restraint to protect human life.”
