DAR ES SALAAM -- Tanzania's incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party has won the presidential election, securing 97.66 percent of the vote, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Saturday.

"I declare Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) the winner of the presidential elections, who got 31,913,866 votes, equivalent to 97.66 percent of the vote cast," announced INEC Chairperson Jacobs Mwambegele in the capital, Dodoma.

Hassan thus becomes the country's first elected female president. She previously served as vice president from 2015 to 2021 and first assumed the presidency in March 2021 following the death of then-President John Magufuli from heart disease, marking a historic milestone as Tanzania's first female head of state.

Tanzanians went to the polls on Wednesday in general elections. Held every five years, the elections saw voters choose the president, members of parliament, and local council representatives, with 17 parties fielding presidential candidates and 18 contesting parliamentary and local seats.

Hassan defeated 16 opposition candidates, securing a decisive victory that extends her party's long-standing dominance in the country's political landscape.

The election was marred by protests in the port city of Dar es Salaam, where demonstrators took to the streets, accusing authorities of stifling the opposition after key candidates were barred from the presidential race.

According to reports, clashes erupted between protesters and police, who opened fire to disperse crowds. Several police posts, gas stations, commuter buses, and polling stations were reportedly damaged in the unrest.

The government reacted by imposing a curfew in Dar es Salaam, while reports of internet disruptions later emerged.