President William Ruto has congratulated Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan on her re-election, calling on Tanzanians to uphold peace and embrace dialogue following the disputed October 29 election that was marred by violent protests.
Ruto extended sincere congratulations on behalf of the government and people of Kenya in a statement released Sunday, November 3. The statement came after Hassan was declared winner with 97.66 percent of the vote by Tanzania’s electoral commission.
“I call upon the patriotic people of Tanzania to uphold peace and the rule of law,” Ruto said. “I encourage all political actors and stakeholders to embrace dialogue and tolerance as they seek to resolve any issues at hand in order to safeguard democracy and stability.”
The Kenyan president’s statement comes amid criticism from opposition politicians in Kenya who had questioned his initial silence as chairman of the East African Community. The election saw main opposition leaders barred or jailed, sparking violent protests across Tanzania.
Ruto emphasized the deep historical ties between Kenya and Tanzania, noting their shared aspirations for prosperity and stability anchored in their joint membership of the East African Community.
“Kenya stands ready to continue engaging constructively in the pursuit of our shared vision for a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated East Africa,” Ruto stated.
The October 29 election was marred by violence as demonstrators took to the streets protesting the exclusion of main opposition candidates. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu of Chadema remains jailed on treason charges, while Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo was barred from running.
UN human rights office spokesman Seif Magango told a UN briefing that credible reports indicated at least 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga and Morogoro towns. Tanzania’s main opposition party claimed hundreds were killed, though the government dismissed these figures.
Hassan, who took power in 2021 after the death of predecessor John Magufuli, faced 16 candidates from smaller parties after main challengers were excluded from the race.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the situation and urged all parties to “prevent further escalation.” The foreign ministers of the UK, Canada and Norway cited “credible reports of a large number of fatalities.”
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf also congratulated Hassan while expressing regret over the deadly unrest that followed the polls.
Rights groups including Amnesty International had warned of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings in Tanzania ahead of the polls. The International Crisis Group said Hassan oversaw “an unprecedented crackdown on political opponents.”
