AUC congratulates Samia Suluhu on election win, urges peace in Tanzania

African Union (AU) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf poses for a photograph at the Embassy of Djibouti in Addis Ababa, on December 11, 2024. [AFP]

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Youssouf has congratulated Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu on her election victory.

Suluhu was on Saturday, November 1, announced the winner by the electoral commission, securing 97.66 per cent of the vote.

The announcement came after days of violent protests, with citizens challenging her presidency.

Youssouf, while acknowledging the deaths, called on Tanzanians to maintain peace, expressing regret over the deadly unrest that followed the polls.

''The Chairperson deeply regrets the loss of human life during the post-electoral protests and extends his sincere condolences to the families of the victims,'' read a statement from AUC.

The chairperson further underscored the need to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly and expression, urging authorities to safeguard these rights within the law.

He also called on citizens to exercise their rights responsibly, saying, ''The African Union reaffirms its readiness to support the people and Government of Tanzania in their efforts to preserve peace, national cohesion, and democracy.''

Suluhu is set to serve a five-year term and has already been handed her certificate of presidency alongside her deputy, Emmanuel Nchimbi.