Tanzania is in confusion as President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s whereabouts remain unknown. The country has been in chaos since the disputed general election, and communication has been cut off.
Reports say that some top government officials in Dodoma are also missing, raising fears of a leadership and security crisis. Angry citizens have taken to the streets, claiming the election was rigged. Protests have spread across major cities, with people demanding fair results and accountability from the electoral commission.
Since Wednesday, a communication blackout has made it hard to know what is really happening. On Thursday, violence broke out at the Namanga border when Kenyan and Tanzanian youths clashed with Tanzanian police. Officers reportedly fired live bullets and tear gas, killing two people—Tanzanian national Kabuli Balayi and Kenyan businessman John Kahindi. Their deaths have caused more public anger. Two others, including a Kenyan police officer, were seriously injured.
Security forces in both Kenya and Tanzania are now on high alert to stop further violence. The Tanzanian government has not released any statement about the missing president or the unrest. Regional leaders are calling for peace and dialogue to calm the situation,
Hafidh Ameir, Tanzania’s First Gentleman and husband to President Samia Suluhu Hassan. They got married in 1978 and have four children. When Suluhu became president after the death of John Magufuli, stories about her life went viral. Many men admired how she was humble and respectful to her husband, even as president, saying she still cooked and knelt to serve him. They urged Kenyan women to follow her example of being submissive and respectful in marriage.
