Tanzania remains gripped by the aftermath of its worst post-election violence in decades, a crisis that has shaken its long-standing reputation as a beacon of peace and stability in Africa.
It has also earned the country rare rebukes from regional and continental organisations.
In a defiant inauguration speech on Monday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the election was fair and transparent but acknowledged people had died during the protests. She blamed foreign actors for the deadly protests.
The death toll is not clear but families continue to search for or bury relatives killed following the recent disputed poll, that Samia won with 98% of the vote.
Samia, the soft-spoken leader whose calm and gentle demeanor initially inspired optimism when she assumed power in 2021 after the sudden death in office of her authoritarian predecessor, John Magufuli, faces a significant challenge as protests ignite across the nation.
Samia has pushed Tanzania to its thick winter of protests, instability and uncertainty, Prof Peter Kagwanja, a Kenyan policy analyst, told the BBC.
Organized mainly by young people, these protests resemble global movements against entrenched leadership and unresponsive governments, mirroring sentiments seen in other parts of Africa.
While the unrest was unprecedented for Tanzania, it stemmed from a long-standing simmering frustration with stalled reforms, internal power tussles, and the persecution of opposition leaders. The protests were just a culmination of years of anger and grievances that have been bottled in by Tanzanians, observed Godfrey Mwampembwa, a political cartoonist.
Recent political dynamics have severely restricted space for dissent. In the run-up to the election, two main opposition leaders were blocked from contesting, leading analysts to question the democratic legitimacy of the process.
As violent protests lead to what some describe as a repressive regime, President Hassan faces increasing scrutiny both domestically and internationally as she begins her second term. The concern is whether her government can rekindle the aura of stability that has long defined Tanzania amidst growing calls for reform and accountability.
