Unrest grips Tanzania as protesters challenge recent elections marked by alleged fraud and clashes with security forces.

Tanzania is witnessing significant unrest following Wednesday's presidential and parliamentary elections, which many opposition supporters are condemning as fraudulent.

Protests have erupted in several major cities, with hundreds of demonstrators crossing into Kenya. On their way, they blocked roads, set bonfires alight, and tore down posters of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

The situation turned deadly as Kenyan police reported two fatalities among those fleeing clashes with Tanzanian authorities. Protesters allege the government has undermined democracy, citing the imprisonment of a leading opposition figure and the disqualification of another candidate from participating in the election. These actions have significantly increased Samia's chances of securing victory.

Tensions escalated on Thursday when preliminary results began to emerge, showing Samia with nearly 95% of the vote in Mbea province. She also appears to lead in numerous other constituencies across both the mainland and Zanzibar.

European Union lawmakers have sharply criticized the election process, labeling it a "fraud" that has been developing over an extended period. Polling day itself was marred by violent encounters between opposition supporters and police forces.

In response to these incidents, Tanzanian military chief Gen Jacob Mkunda attributed "damage to property and people" to "bad characters who wish ill for this country." Gunfire was reported in Mwanza's northern city while skirmishes erupted in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, now heavily fortified with major roadblocks.

The Kenyan government has urged its citizens not to participate in demonstrations at Namanga border town, where business operations have come to a standstill. Meanwhile, Tanzanian police resorted to tear gas in attempts to disperse protesters engaging them throughout much of the day.

The US Embassy noted that access routes including those leading to Dar es Salaam's international airport remained closed on Thursday. An eyewitness recounted witnessing hundreds entering Mwanza city along Lake Victoria's shores-an area second only to Dar es Salaam in population size.

"Within minutes after arriving," he said, "we heard gunfire accompanied by tear gas explosions." He added that injured individuals were being evacuated from his vicinity during escalating confrontations.

As tensions rise further still amid these developments-the government instructed civil servants nationwide work remotely until Friday; meanwhile Amnesty International expressed deep concern over reports indicating both civilian casualties alongside law enforcement officials' deaths occurred amid Wednesday night’s chaos."

A nighttime curfew has since been imposed upon residents residing within Dar Es Salama limits where sources inform BBC correspondents regarding Muhimbili Hospital receiving waves amongst wounded patients requiring urgent medical assistance throughout recent days’ events-a condition exacerbated further given severe internet disruptions adversely affecting communications capabilities overall across entire region according respective agency warnings urging authorities restore unfiltered informational exchanges promptly going forward once possible if possible whenever deemed feasible reasonably under circumstances existing present current moment henceforth moving onward indefinitely thereafter until otherwise stated officially publicly accordingly soonest practicable opportunity arises eventually inevitably depending contextual factors continuously evolving incrementally progressively simultaneously steadily consistently persistently increasingly perpetually enduringly without interruption pause respite cessation termination halting conclusion discontinuance suspension ending stopping concluding finishing closing wrapping settling resolving culminating finalizing winding up completing terminating ending ceasing discontinue expire fade vanish disappear end become extinct die perish pass away be no more.