Police fire teargas give protesters as Tanzanians dey elect new president

Reports say police for Tanzania main city Dar es Salaam don fire tear gas to stop opposition supporters wey dey protest against di general election wey dey take place for di East African state.

Di election dey expected to be free ride for President Samia Suluhu and her ruling party, as di main opposition leader dey for jail on treason charges, wey e deny, and im party don boycott di vote.

Several pipo injure for di protest afta groups of protesters gada for major highways to demand electoral reforms, and free political activity.

Reports say di voter turnout for Dar es Salaam dey low wen polls open on Wednesday, as voters no gree show up sake of safety concerns.

Na 37.7 million pipo bin register to vote for di ova 99,000 polling stations wey open across both di mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Tanzanians dey vote for dia President, Members of Parliament and local govment councillors.

Di election dey come for di middle of divisions among opposition parties on top weda to participate for di process.

Polling stations open at 04:00 GMT (07:00 a.m. local time) and e dey expected to close at 13:00 GMT (04:00 p.m. local time).

Security also bin dey tight nationwide, and authorities bin don ask kontri pipo to remain calm and respect di process.

Seventeen presidential candidates dey contest for Tanzania top job, among dem na President Samia Suluhu Hassan of di ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Di incumbent wey become di East African kontri first female head of state afta di death of sitting President John Magufuli for 2021 dey seek anoda term in office.

Dis na di kontri seventh general election since di return of multiparty democracy for 1992, and pipo dey see am as key test for di kontri democracy.

Tanzania electoral commission, di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) tok say results dey expected 72 hours afta voting end.

Critics don accuse di govment of undermining democracy afta di electoral commission ban key opposition leaders, Tundu Lissu (Chadema) and Luhaga Mpina (ACT-Wazalendo) from di election, and leave 16 minor party candidates to challenge CCM long years of political dominance.

Inec ban di main opposition party, Chadema, wit dia leader, Tundu Lissu, currently on trial for treason.

E bin dey call for electoral reforms bifor im arrest for April - and di party don ask dia supporters to boycott di poll.

Wit no heavyweight opposition contenders to compete wit, some analysts tok say di election be like coronation for President Samia Suluhu Hassan.