UPDATE: Reports confirm that at least 700 people have been killed in protests across Tanzania following the controversial elections on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. The opposition party, CHADEMA, has documented these figures based on accounts from health workers, as unrest continues in several cities, including Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro.
The situation escalated after the government excluded President Samia Suluhu Hassan‘s two main challengers from the election, igniting anger and protests nationwide. Witnesses reported that police have responded with tear gas and gunfire to suppress demonstrations, prompting a government-imposed overnight curfew in Dar es Salaam for the past two nights. Internet access has been cut off, limiting communication and mobilization among protesters.
The United Nations has reported credible information indicating at least 10 fatalities in the unrest, marking the first international acknowledgment of deaths since the election.
“We call on security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force,”
said UN human rights spokesperson Seif Magango during a press briefing in Geneva. He urged protesters to maintain peaceful demonstrations amidst the growing violence.
The government has yet to release official casualty figures or respond to media inquiries regarding the escalating violence. As military and police patrol the streets of Dar es Salaam, the government has extended a work-from-home order for civil servants, attempting to maintain control and order amid the chaos.
John Kitoka, spokesperson for the CHADEMA party, stated,
“We are calling for the protests to continue until our demands for electoral reforms are made.”
Although protests have diminished in some areas due to heavy security, dissent continues to simmer across the nation.
This unrest poses a significant challenge for President Hassan, who has faced increasing scrutiny for her government’s crackdown on dissent following a period of relative openness after she took office in 2021. Opposition leaders and activists have accused her administration of reverting to repressive tactics, including recent arrests and alleged abductions of political opponents.
As the electoral commission begins to announce provisional results, which show Hassan winning in many constituencies, tensions remain high. The government addressed the unrest for the first time on Friday, stating that,
“owing to isolated incidents of breaching to law and order, the Government has heightened security and taken several other precautionary measures.”
Authorities assure that these security measures are temporary, but many citizens remain skeptical. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging a return to normalcy and the protection of human rights.
The unfolding events in Tanzania highlight not only the immediate impacts of the election but also the broader implications for governance and civil rights in the region. As protests escalate, the world watches closely to see how President Hassan will respond to the demands for reform and accountability.
Stay tuned for more updates as this situation develops.
