Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – E no be small matter o! Protests don burst out for major cities for Tanzania as opposition supporters dey hala say Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections na total sham. Dem don block roads, set fire, and dem dey tear down posters of President Samia Suluhu Hassan everywhere! (I just hope dem no go start to use firewood for jollof!)
As dem dey hala for streets, dem don carry matter cross border enter Kenya, wey don lead to some serious clashes. Kenyan police don report say two people don die from all the wahala wey dey happen. Na so dem dey accuse the government say dem dey try undermine democracy. You fit imagine say the main opposition leader dey for jail, and another one don disqualify from the election. Na so e dey sweet for Samia sake, because e go make her win easier. (No be small luck!)
The anger no go komot as the electoral commission start to announce results, and guess what? Samia dey get nearly 95% of votes from Mbea province. Wetin you expect? With opposition leaders dey prison and disqualification everywhere, na win by default be this o!
European Union (EU) law makers don call the election “fraud”, saying e don dey unfold for many months. For polling day sef, clashes burst everywhere, wey lead to tears and gas – and we no mean the tears wey dem dey cry for Nigeria movie o.
Military chief wey dey name, Gen Jacob Mkunda, don blame “bad characters” wey dey cause chaos during the election. Gunfire don dey heard for the city of Mwanza while dem dey fight for the capital, Dodoma, and Dar es Salaam too dey under tight security as major roads dey block. (Somebody go fit pass road if e dey carry amala and ewedu!)
Kenyan authorities don warn their citizens no join protest for Namanga border wey don turn battleground. As Tanzania police dey fire tear gas to scatter protesters, di US Embassy say major routes, including di one wey dey lead to international airport for Dar es Salaam, still dey closed. Na wah! You fit see as things dey serious dey play out.
An eyewitness tell BBC say he see plenty protesters wey dey pour into Mwanza. “After just 10 minutes, we start to hear gunfire and tears gas explosions,” he talk. “We dey see some people wey don injure dey carry go hospital.” Na wa o!
The government don order civil servants to work from house till Friday as tension dey plenty. Rights group Amnesty International don raise alarm say na deep wahala be this with police and civilians don die in clashes. Security forces don impose curfew for Dar es Salaam wey dey make night life no dey shine again. (Chai, who wan drink palmwine without enjoyment?)
Meanwhile, internet dey shake, no dey connect well for the country. Amnesty dey cry say if dem no allow people access information, wahala go dey plenty! Some protesters dey use walkie-talkie app wey call Zello to plan their next action. Na who dey talk say technology no fit help fight hand?
President Samia dey look like say e go collect second term easily, as no serious opposition dey challenge her. Na like this e go taker, when opposition candidates don dey blocked like traffic for Lagos. The poll na seriously anticipated jolly ride for her party, wey don dey win every election since independence!
So, for this gathering of noise, wey dey for Tanzania, one thing dey sure: the protesters no go gree make dem wash away their voice. As this saga dey unfold, we go dey follow am closely. (In case you never buy your popcorn, e don time to prepare as democracy wan take stage again!)
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