What to know about a disputed election in Tanzania, where single-party rule is being challenged

Protests are spreading in Tanzania as electoral authorities count the votes in a disputed presidential election that rights groups, opposition figures and others say was clouded by a climate of fear in the months leading to election day.

The military has been deployed alongside the police to quell riots in major cities since Wednesday’s election. The sight of soldiers patrolling the streets, sporadic gunfire and closed stores is rare in the usually peaceful country that many foreigners visit for its pristine coastal beaches and safari tourism.

That’s partly because Tanzania’s first female leader, who has served as president since 2021, has sparked widespread anger for running virtually unopposed after her two main opponents were blocked or prevented from contesting.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who seeks five more years as president, ran against 16 candidates from smaller parties. Critics say that’s a coronation, not a contest. Hassan is now the subject