Cynthia Ezegwu
Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, has accused security forces of killing hundreds of civilians during three days of violent unrest following Wednesday’s general election — claims the government has flatly denied amid a nationwide internet shutdown.
Reports gathered from security and diplomatic sources in Dar es Salaam suggest that the death toll could run into the hundreds as demonstrations spread through several cities, including Mwanza and Arusha.
Chadema spokesperson, John Kitoka, told AFP that at least 350 people were killed in Dar es Salaam and another 200 in Mwanza, estimating the total fatalities at around 700 nationwide. He alleged that the killings were ongoing despite curfews and heavy military patrols.
The violence erupted after the announcement of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election — a result the opposition described as fraudulent, citing intimidation of candidates and mass arrests of dissenters.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo dismissed the opposition’s claims as “false and politically motivated,” stating that authorities had not received any official casualty figures and denying the use of excessive force.
However, several international organisations have raised alarm over the deteriorating situation. The United Nations said it had “credible reports” confirming at least 10 deaths, while Amnesty International estimated the number of fatalities to exceed 100.
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With foreign journalists barred from covering the polls and internet access largely restricted, independent verification of the situation remains difficult. Medical personnel and local residents have reportedly been warned against speaking to the media.
In Zanzibar, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) was declared winner of the local election — a result rejected by the opposition ACT-Wazalendo, which alleged widespread vote-rigging and voter intimidation.
“There has never been a truly free election since 1995,” said an elderly voter in Stone Town, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
President Hassan has yet to make a public statement on the unfolding crisis. Meanwhile, the army has branded protesters as “criminals” and vowed to restore calm — a move critics say mirrors the heavy-handed tactics of the late President John Magufuli’s era.