Opposition in Tanzania claims hundreds were killed during poll demonstrations, and the UN demands an investigation

Tanzania’s primary opposition party reported on Friday that hundreds of individuals had lost their lives in protests related to this week’s elections, while the U.N. secretary-general urged an inquiry into claims of excessive force being used.

The U.N. human rights office reported that credible sources indicated at least 10 individuals lost their lives during protests in three cities, marking the first public estimate of fatalities by an international organization since Wednesday’s vote.

The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, and Norway released a joint statement voicing their concerns regarding the situation and calling on the Tanzanian authorities to exercise maximum restraint while upholding the rights to assembly and free expression.

In remarks to Reuters, Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo addressed the unrest, stating that the opposition’s reported death toll was “hugely exaggerated,” while noting that the authorities had not yet compiled casualty figures. He refuted the claim that security officers had employed excessive force.

The casualty figures could not be independently verified by Reuters.

Since Wednesday, protesters have flooded the streets, expressing their anger over the exclusion of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s two main challengers from the race, alongside what they characterize as extensive repression.

According to witnesses, police discharged tear gas and fired gunshots to disperse certain demonstrations.

The police have enacted a nationwide curfew overnight for the last two nights following the arson of government offices and other structures. Since Wednesday, there has been a disruption in internet access.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged “for a thorough and impartial investigation into all allegations of excessive use of force” and expressed sorrow over the loss of life.

Partial election results released on Thursday and Friday indicated that Hassan secured significant majorities nationwide, with complete results anticipated shortly.

Significant security presence

The unrest poses a challenge for Hassan, who received acclaim upon assuming office in 2021 for his efforts to reduce repression. However, he has recently encountered backlash from opposition parties and activists following a number of arrests and reported abductions of dissenters.

Hassan has refuted claims of extensive rights violations. She mentioned that last year she had initiated an investigation into reports of abductions, yet no official findings have been disclosed.

On Friday, soldiers and police monitored the streets of Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital, restricting movement for those without a valid reason.

John Kitoka, a spokesperson for the CHADEMA party, which was prohibited from participating in the election due to its refusal to sign a code of conduct and had its leader arrested for treason in April, stated that the party had recorded approximately 700 deaths since Wednesday, according to reports from health workers.

He mentioned that protests persisted on Friday in various cities, although they had diminished in some areas because of the increased security measures.

“We urge the protests to persist until our demands for electoral reforms are fulfilled,” Kitoka stated to Reuters.

The government reports that violence has been contained.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kombo stated that there were merely “a very few small pockets of incidents during the election period” and attributed the violence to criminal elements.

“Many Tanzanians are deeply disappointed with the recent events and are urging their government to put an end to this impunity,” he stated.

U.N. human rights spokesperson Seif Magango informed reporters that there are credible reports indicating at least 10 fatalities in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro.

A resident of Dar es Salaam, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, informed Reuters that a family member was shot dead outside a hospital after being mistaken for a protester.

A spokesperson for the police did not reply to inquiries for comment.