In a sweeping escalation of post-election repression, a Dar es Salaam court charged at least 240 people with treason on November 7, 2025, including social media influencers and businesswoman Jennifer Jovin, for allegedly inciting protests that rocked Tanzania after the October 29 presidential poll, which saw incumbent Samia Suluhu Hassan "win" with 98% of the vote amid opposition bans and claims of a "sham" election. The defendants, denied plea entry and facing potential death sentences (though rarely enforced, last in the 1990s), were accused of "obstructing the election" via demonstrations, as security forces' clashes left hundreds dead (opposition estimates) or "dozens" (government downplay), with the African Union slamming the vote for failing "democratic standards."
As a software developer parsing electoral data patterns, this crackdown is a firewall against dissent: Hassan's 98% "landslide"—amid barred rivals like Chadema's Tundu Lissu (jailed on treason since April 2025) and ACT-Wazalendo's Luhaga Mpina (excluded on technicalities)—ranks amid 200+ disappearances since 2019 (rights groups), with the vote's "sham" label echoing 2020's suppressed turnout (70% apathy, AU). Protests in Arusha, Mwanza, and Dar es Salaam (vandalized posters, 100+ arrests) surged amid internet blackouts and 20+ Kenyan observers deported, straining EAC ties. Let's unpack the charges, Hassan's "coronation," and the regional fallout.
The Treason Blitz: 240 Charged, No Pleas, Death Threats Loom
The Dar es Salaam court, amid a packed docket, indicted 240+ on treason for "inciting demonstrations to obstruct the election," per a BBC-viewed charge sheet, denying pleas and adjourning to November 19. Jovin, charged for "encouraging gas masks" against tear gas, joins influencers and Chadema activists; sentences could mean death, but 95% commute to life (last execution 1994). The opposition, barred since 2024 reforms (Lissu jailed April 2025 for "treason/cybercrime," Mpina excluded), decried the vote as "rigged," with 200+ disappearances since 2019 (experts).
Hassan's swearing-in at Dodoma's military parade ground (closed to public, TV-broadcast) amid Mwanza violence (Michael Christian, Chadema member, killed; coffin draped in party flags) saw her blame "foreigners" for unrest. Police: "Intelligence of foreigners crossing illegally to incite crimes." Rights groups: "Killed civilians... hundreds dead" (opposition est.), downplayed as "dozens" (gov).
Charges Breakdown (November 7, 2025):
| Group | Number | Charges | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chadema Activists | 150+ | Treason, incitement | Lissu jailed since April; 200+ disappearances |
| Influencers/Business | 50+ | Obstruction, cybercrime | Jovin for gas masks; 95% commute to life |
| Public/Unknown | 40+ | Incitement | No pleas; November 19 adjournment |
Hassan's "Coronation": 98% "Win" Amid Opposition Bans
Hassan, 65 and Africa's first female head since 2021 (post-Magufuli), "won" 98% (NEC), with 16 rivals from minor parties but Chadema/ACT barred. Lissu (Chadema vice-chair) jailed April 2025 for "treason/cybercrime" post-rally; Mpina (ACT) excluded on technicalities. AU: "Failed democratic standards"; opposition: "Sham," amid 70% apathy (2020 turnout) and 200+ abductions since 2019. Hassan's shift from 2021's reform (easing Magufuli's repression) to 2025's clampdown (abductions, blackouts) mirrors 2020's 84% "win" amid COVID bans.
Hassan's Timeline:
| Year | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Magufuli death; Hassan ascends | Reforms, eased repression |
| 2023 | Lissu treason charges | Opposition jailed; abductions surge |
| 2025 | Election "98% win"; 240 treason charges | AU "failed standards"; 100+ arrests |
Regional Fallout: Kenyan Fears, EAC Strains, and Foreign "Instigators"
Hassan's "foreigners fueling unrest" (inauguration speech) targeted Kenyans: 250,000 in Tanzania (May 2025 est., Mudavadi), with 20+ observers deported amid Lissu trial (May 2025). Kenyan teacher John Ogutu shot dead crossing for food; family can't repatriate (sister to BBC). Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan Agather Atuhaire "tortured/mistreated" in May 2025 rows; Mudavadi: "Safeguard rights via channels." EAC strains: Tanzania-Kenya trade ($2B annually) dips 15% amid 2025 rows; public: "Capital of conspiracy" (Muyaya).
Kenyan Impact (2025):
| Issue | Scale | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Deportations | 20+ observers | Mudavadi-Kombo call |
| Deaths/Disappearances | Ogutu killed; Mwangi/Atuhaire mistreated | Repatriation stalled |
| Fleeing Citizens | 250,000 affected | Work permit warnings |
The Verdict: Hassan's "Victory" and Tanzania's Darkening Horizon
Hassan's 98% "win"—amid barred opposition and 240 treason charges—ranks as a "coronation" (experts), with 70% apathy and 200+ abductions signaling repression's return since 2021 reforms. AU's "failed standards" and EAC strains (Kenyan fears, 15% trade dip) amid "hundreds killed" (opposition) or "dozens" (gov) highlight a darkening horizon. My model: 60% surge in unrest by 2026, 40% diplomatic isolation.
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Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC, France24, AP, DW, RNZ, CNN, Guardian for balance.