标签： Africa

In an unprecedented address to the diplomatic community, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has broken her silence regarding the controversial internet blackout and violent unrest that followed the country’s October elections. Speaking before ambassadors, high commissioners, and international organization representatives in the capital city of Dodoma on Thursday, Hassan extended formal apologies for the six-day digital shutdown and service disruptions that coincided with the nation’s most severe post-election turmoil in decades.

The President expressed particular sympathy toward foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel affected by the government’s drastic measures, which included a complete internet blackout and widespread service restrictions. While defending these actions as necessary for preserving constitutional order and citizen protection, Hassan simultaneously pledged enhanced vigilance to prevent recurrence of such disruptive events.

This diplomatic outreach follows an election that international observers have widely criticized for failing to meet democratic standards. Hassan secured victory with an overwhelming 97% of votes after authorities barred candidates from the two primary opposition parties from participation. The country’s main opposition leader remains incarcerated on treason charges.

The post-election period witnessed significant violence beginning on election day and continuing for several days amid heavy police crackdowns. According to human rights organizations, these clashes resulted in hundreds of fatalities and substantial property damage worth millions of Tanzanian shillings. In a controversial attribution, President Hassan blamed foreign elements for instigating the violence while simultaneously pardoning hundreds of arrested youths whom she claimed acted under peer pressure.

In response to the crisis, Tanzania has established an official commission of inquiry to investigate the violence that disrupted the nation’s decades-long record of relative political stability.

Ethiopian authorities have made explosive allegations that Eritrea supplied thousands of ammunition rounds to armed rebels, dramatically escalating tensions between the Horn of Africa neighbors. Police in Ethiopia’s Amhara region announced Wednesday they intercepted over 56,000 rounds of ammunition allegedly intended for the Fano rebel group, arresting two suspects in the operation.

According to an official Facebook statement, preliminary investigations indicated the ammunition originated from what Ethiopian officials term the ‘Shabiya government’ – a reference to Eritrea’s ruling party. The discovery has ignited fears of renewed armed conflict between the historically adversarial nations.

Eritrea immediately issued a forceful denial through Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel, who characterized the allegations as ‘false flag’ operations intended to justify military action that Ethiopia ‘has been itching to unleash.’ The minister accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party of manufacturing pretexts for aggression.

The allegations emerge amid deteriorating relations between the neighboring countries, which share a complex history of conflict and temporary reconciliation. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after decades of struggle, rendering Ethiopia landlocked despite their 2018 peace agreement that normalized relations.

Recent months have seen mounting tensions over Ethiopia’s persistent demands for guaranteed access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory. Prime Minister Abiy has characterized sea access as an existential national priority, while Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki recently accused Ethiopia of effectively declaring war through its maritime claims.

The current crisis represents a sharp reversal from the cooperation seen during Ethiopia’s 2020-22 civil war, when Eritrean troops supported the Ethiopian government against Tigrayan forces. Relations soured significantly when Eritrea was excluded from the 2022 peace agreement that ended that conflict.

Ethiopia now faces a violent insurgency from Fano rebels who control substantial territory in northern Amhara region, while simultaneously navigating increasingly hostile relations with its northern neighbor. Both leaders have publicly stated they prefer dialogue over conflict, but the ammunition allegations have brought bilateral tensions to their highest point in years.

Uganda embarked on a pivotal electoral process Thursday amid heightened tensions as long-serving President Yoweri Museveni pursued an unprecedented seventh term in office. The East African nation’s general election pits the 81-year-old incumbent against charismatic opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, who has mobilized the country’s substantial youth demographic in his bid for power.

The electoral contest features eight presidential candidates competing to lead Uganda for the next five years, with approximately 21.7 million registered voters participating across 50,739 polling stations nationwide. Beyond the presidency, Ugandans are simultaneously selecting representatives for 353 parliamentary constituency seats, 146 District Woman Representative positions, and numerous local government roles.

Campaign rhetoric has highlighted starkly different visions for Uganda’s future. President Museveni, representing the National Resistance Movement, has positioned himself as the guardian of national stability and continued development. Conversely, Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform has centered its campaign on combating systemic corruption and implementing comprehensive governmental reforms.

The electoral environment has been marked by significant digital restrictions, with Ugandan authorities implementing an internet blackout citing concerns about misinformation dissemination, potential electoral fraud, and prevention of violence incitement. This decision by the Communications Commission has drawn international scrutiny as polling commenced.

Voting procedures will continue until 4 PM local time Thursday, with electoral officials confirming that any voters in queue at closing time will be permitted to cast their ballots. The electoral commission anticipates announcing presidential results within approximately 48 hours after polling concludes, setting the stage for a potentially contentious outcome declaration.

The 2026 election represents a critical juncture in Uganda’s political evolution, testing the durability of Museveni’s 40-year administration against growing demands for change from the country’s youthful majority population.

Uganda’s pivotal presidential election encountered significant operational hurdles on polling day, with widespread technical failures disrupting the electoral process across multiple voting stations. Reports from various constituencies indicate that biometric voter verification systems, crucial for authenticating voter identities, experienced systemic malfunctions, resulting in extensive delays and growing voter discontent.

The technological breakdown precipitated long, snaking queues at numerous polling centers, testing the patience of citizens eager to cast their ballots in this high-stakes political contest. Electoral officials scrambled to implement contingency measures, including manual verification processes, to mitigate the escalating crisis. Despite these efforts, the delays compounded logistical challenges already facing the election administration.

This electoral event features President Yoweri Museveni, who has maintained an uninterrupted tenure since 1986, confronting his most formidable opposition challenge in decades. The technical difficulties have raised serious questions about the electoral commission’s preparedness and have drawn sharp criticism from opposition representatives monitoring the proceedings.

International observers and local watchdog organizations have expressed concerns regarding how these technological failures might impact the election’s overall credibility and transparency. The electoral commission has acknowledged the issues while maintaining that these are isolated incidents rather than systemic failures, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring every legitimate voter exercises their democratic right.