Tanzania has been battling with widespread unrest following last week’s election, as allegations rise over the deaths of hundreds of citizens. Chadema, the country’s largest opposition party, accused security forces on Tuesday of secretly disposing of bodies killed during the post-election violence that has stunned the region.
Protests broke out across the East African nation after Wednesday’s election, as young people in Dar es Salaam and other cities took to the streets, and protested over alleged rigged election. Security forces responded with live ammunition and tear gas, and authorities imposed a nationwide curfew.
“Tanzanians’ hearts are bleeding right now. This is a new thing for Tanzanians,” said Brenda Rupia, Chadema’s communications director, speaking to The Associated Press from Dar es Salaam.
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President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with over 97% of the vote, marking an unusual landslide for the region despite reports of low voter turnout by international observers. Hassan, who ascended to the presidency as vice president in 2021 following the sudden death of John Pombe Magufuli, secured her first electoral victory.
Her triumph has drawn massive criticism, with many questioning the credibility of the election. Key opponents, including Chadema’s Tundu Lissu and ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina, were barred from contesting. Lissu, who has been jailed for several months on treason charges linked to calls for electoral reform, saw his deputy John Heche detained just days before the election.
Human Rights Watch condemned the violent crackdown on protesters, urging Tanzanian authorities to “end the use of excessive and lethal force against protests, and take steps to ensure accountability.” The organization cited multiple reports of point-blank shootings.
Chadema’s claims of over 1,000 deaths remain unaddressed by authorities. International observers from the U.K., Norway, and Canada have cited what they considered credible reports of a high fatality count, while the Catholic Church estimated deaths in the “hundreds,” though exact figures remain unverified.
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Rupia revealed that her party has documented at least 400 deaths in Tunduma, in the Mbeya region, and said additional regions have also recorded hundreds of fatalities. She added that the security forces are withholding bodies, secretly disposing of them to conceal the scale of the killings.
Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, was sworn in on Monday. In her inauguration speech, she acknowledged the loss of life and called on security agencies to restore order.
Authorities have cautioned the public against sharing images and videos that could incite panic, as the internet gradually returns following a six-day shutdown. On Monday night, mobile users received a warning that distributing content deemed panic-inducing or disrespectful to human life could result in “treason charges.”
The internet blackout had limited the spread of unverified images of alleged protest victims. A social media page that posted such content and attracted thousands of followers was removed on Monday evening.
By Tuesday, life was slowly returning to normal in Dar es Salaam and the administrative capital, Dodoma, with gas stations and grocery stores reopening and public transportation resuming after several days of disruption, AP reported. The government also instructed public workers to return to their offices, ending a temporary work-from-home order linked to the curfew.
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