The Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), an opposition party in Tanzania, has rejected the election results announced on Saturday, describing them as a coup against the citizens.

The party claimed the election was rigged and vowed not to recognise Samia Suluhu Hassan as the East African country’s president.

The Chadema party, in a statement by its spokesperson, John Mnyika, said it “rejects the so-called election results announced by the National Electoral Commission.”

“The announcement of results today is a clear coup against the will of Tanzanians who have been denied their democratic right to choose the leader they want,” the party stated.

Mr Mnyika said Mrs Hassan “lacks legitimacy, having not been elected by the citizens of Tanzania,” adding the opposition party “Does not recognise her as the president of the United Republic of Tanzania, as she has not been elected by the people of Tanzania.”

According to the opposition party, the results announced have no basis in reality, as the truth is that no genuine election took place in Tanzania.

“Citizens did not participate in the October 29 election due to an environment that was neither free nor fair, and because of the absence of a level political-playing field,” it added.

This statement followed the earlier declaration of Mrs Hassan as the winner of Wednesday’s election by the Tanzania Independent National Electoral Commission.

The electoral umpire said Mrs Hassan, who assumed power in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, won 97.6 per cent of the votes. By the declaration, she has been handed another five-year term.

For three consecutive days, Tanzanians have taken to the streets in protests over the election, which featured Mrs Hassan but barred major opposition candidates.

Footage of protesters destroying Mrs Hassan’s posters as they marched on the streets of Tanzania flooded the internet despite the disruption of internet access in the country since Wednesday.

Over 700 people have been killed as police clash with protesters across the country, according to the Chadema opposition party.

The UK, Canadian, and Norwegian missions in Tanzania have expressed concern over the “large number” of killings recorded during the country’s election, as security operatives brutally cracked down on protesters.

Amid the protests, some Tanzanians on social media have reschristened Mrs Hassan “Idi Amin Mama” after former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin Dada, as election violence claims hundreds of lives.