Protests have erupted in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, as the country on Wednesday held an election marked by concerns from human rights groups and the detention of opposition members.

Internet connectivity was disrupted across the country shortly after hundreds of protesters in the Kimara and Ubungo neighbourhoods of Dar es Salaam set a rapid transport bus and a gas station ablaze. Local media reported that there were protests in Magomeni, Kinondoni and Tandale neighbourhoods in the city.

The US Embassy in Tanzania issued a security alert due to what it called “country-wide” protests in multiple locations.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking a second term, belongs to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party that has governed the country since it gained independence in 1961. Human rights organisations have accused her administration of arresting, detaining and intimidating critics and opposition members.

Netblocks, an internet access advocacy group, confirmed the outage on Election Day, saying on X that “live network data show a nationwide disruption to internet connectivity.” Just before the disruption was confirmed, users noted an internet slowdown in the East African country.

Dar es Salaam District Commissioner Alfred Chalamila told journalists that the security agencies were ready to deal with any “disruptors of peace” adding that the country would not lose its “long culture of peace.”

Voting was due to end at 4pm local time (1300 GMT) after which vote tallying was to begin. Preliminary results were expected within 24 hours, but the electoral commission has up to seven days to announce the final outcome.

A spot check across dozens of polling stations revealed a low turnout especially among younger voters. Hassan, who cast his ballot in the legislative capital, Dodoma, urged Tanzanians to turn out in large numbers to vote.

Intrviwed, a university student, James Matonya, said he didn’t vote because the election was a “one-horse race.”

The leader of the main opposition CHADEMA party, Tundu Lissu, is in prison and faces treason charges after calling for electoral reforms, while the candidate of the second-largest opposition party was barred from running.

Amnesty International said the atmosphere around the polls was characterised by fear, saying it had verified cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings ahead of the polls. The rights group said alleged abuses by the security forces undermine the legitimacy of the election.

Hassan seeks her first full term in office after completing the term of her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli, who died suddenly in 2021. Sixteen opposition candidates representing smaller parties are also on the ballot.

Tanzania has more than 37 million registered voters, a 26 per cent increase from 2020 but that growth in voter registration is not likely to lead to more people going to the polls, analysts warn, citing apathy over the perception that Hassan will cruise to victory unchallenged.

An opposition party in Tanzania’s archipelago of Zanzibar, ACT Wazalendo, alleged that early voting on Tuesday — electoral and security officials cast ballots — was marred by irregularities that included voters impersonating security officials and the barring of party representatives by electoral officials.

The electoral commission said it had followed the law in conducting Tuesday’s early vote.

• An AP report