Violent protests against Tanzania's contested general election have spilled across the Kenyan border, resulting in at least two deaths and scores of injuries at the busy Namanga One-Stop Border Post on Thursday, October 30, 2025. The clashes have paralysed the key trade and transit corridor, stranding hundreds of cargo trucks and passenger vehicles and forcing the temporary closure of businesses.

Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, confirmed on Thursday that a police officer and a civilian died amid widespread unrest that began on Wednesday, October 29, during the election. The demonstrations at Namanga saw hundreds of protesters, reportedly from the Tanzanian side, barricading roads with bonfires and stones. Chanting slogans in support of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who was arrested on treason charges in April 2025, the demonstrators tore down and burned campaign posters of incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

The unrest has had immediate economic repercussions for Kenya. Traders reported significant losses as the border, a vital hub for the East African market, remained impassable. Kenyan customs officials at the Namanga post temporarily suspended clearance operations due to the chaos and an internet shutdown imposed by Tanzanian authorities, which has crippled cargo clearance systems. A Kenyan flower trader, Nancy Muna, told the Nation she faced millions of shillings in losses with her perishable goods stuck on the Tanzanian side since Wednesday.

Kenyan Authorities on High Alert

In response to the escalating situation, Kenya has significantly tightened security along its border points, including Namanga, Taveta, Isebania, and Lunga Lunga. Kenya's Interior Principal Secretary, Dr. Raymond Omollo, confirmed on Thursday that security agencies were on high alert to prevent a spillover of violence and maintain order. "My appeal is that anyone wishing to participate in such activities must do so within the confines of the law," Omollo stated, warning that any attempts to incite violence would be dealt with swiftly. He urged traders and transporters to cooperate with security personnel to ensure business continuity.

Kenyan law enforcement was seen blocking youths attempting to cross from Kenya into Tanzania to join the protests, warning that such actions could breach Kenyan law. Kajiado County Police Commander Alex Shikondi noted that the primary issue involved Tanzanians who had crossed into Kenya and were pelting Tanzanian police with stones from the Kenyan side. Some reports indicated that Tanzanian police had fired tear gas canisters across the border into Kenya to disperse the crowds.

Election Marred by Controversy

The violence follows a general election in Tanzania that opposition figures and some international observers have criticized as being neither free nor fair. The election on Wednesday, October 29, saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party seeking her first elected term. However, the process was marred by the disqualification of the main opposition party, CHADEMA, and the arrest of its leader, Tundu Lissu. Another major opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, also had its presidential candidate barred from running.

In the lead-up to the vote, rights organisations raised alarms over a crackdown on dissent, including arrests, intimidation, and media restrictions. On election day, the government imposed a nationwide internet disruption and a night curfew in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. The European Parliament issued a statement on Thursday declaring the elections "not free and fair," citing fraud and the detention of opposition figures. The African Union and the East African Community have deployed election observation missions, with the AU scheduled to release a preliminary statement on its findings. The ongoing instability poses a significant challenge to regional trade and diplomatic relations, which both Kenya and Tanzania have recently sought to strengthen.