Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn into office on Monday following a disputed election that the main opposition party, Chadema, has denounced as a “sham,” alleging that hundreds were killed during protests against the results.

The electoral commission announced that Hassan won 98 percent of the vote, though Chadema, which was barred from participating in the election, has rejected the outcome and demanded fresh polls.

Her inauguration took place at the State House in Dodoma, with only officials and foreign dignitaries in attendance. State television had earlier confirmed that the public would not be allowed, breaking from the usual tradition of holding the event in a stadium.

An internet blackout that began on election day remains in effect, leaving only fragments of information emerging from the country. A diplomatic source told AFP there were credible reports of “hundreds, perhaps even thousands of deaths” recorded in hospitals and health clinics nationwide.

Chadema said it had documented “no less than 800” deaths by Saturday, though the figures could not be independently verified. The government has not commented on the death toll but denied using “excessive force.”

Across Tanzania, schools and public transport were shut down, while church services were reportedly canceled in several areas. The same diplomatic source said police were using the internet blackout to “hunt down opposition members and protesters who might have videos” of last week’s violence.

An AFP reporter in Dar es Salaam described a heavy police presence, with officers stopping nearly everyone on the streets, inspecting IDs and bags, and allowing shops to open only in the afternoon.

In Zanzibar, journalists reported masked armed men patrolling without insignia in the aftermath of the vote. A Kenyan rights group released footage on Sunday allegedly showing bodies piled on Tanzanian streets, though the images have not been independently verified.

Pope Leo XIV urged prayers for Tanzania, saying post-election unrest had claimed “numerous victims.” He called on all sides to “avoid all forms of violence and pursue the path of dialogue.”

Hassan, who rose to the presidency after the 2021 death of John Magufuli, sought an overwhelming victory to consolidate power and silence internal critics, analysts said. Rights groups accused her administration of a “wave of terror” before the polls, citing abductions and intimidation targeting opponents.

Election day itself turned violent as crowds tore down posters, clashed with police, and stormed polling stations, prompting a curfew and nationwide shutdown. Although observers saw largely empty polling centers, the electoral commission later claimed voter turnout was 87 percent.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the situation, citing reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations.

The international response has so far been restrained. Kenyan President William Ruto congratulated Hassan and urged Tanzanians to “uphold peace and the rule of law,” while DR Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi praised her “brilliant re-election.”