More than 700 people have reportedly been killed in Tanzania after taking to the streets to protest this week’s presidential election, which saw incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan run virtually unopposed following the jailing or disqualification of her main challengers.
According to Chadema, the country’s main opposition party, some 700 people have died in three days of demonstrations, with protests continuing despite an ongoing internet blackout.
“As we speak, the figure for deaths in Dar es Salaam is around 350 and for Mwanza it is over 200. Added to figures from other parts of the country, the overall figure is around 700,” Chadema spokesperson John Kitoka said on Friday.
He cautioned that the true death toll could be higher, as fatalities may be occurring during the nighttime curfew.
The election, which has been criticised as an attempt to consolidate Hassan’s power and silence opposition, descended into chaos on Wednesday.
Large crowds took to the streets of Dar es Salaam and other cities, tearing down campaign posters, attacking police, and vandalising polling stations. In response, the government imposed a nationwide curfew and blocked internet access.
Foreign journalists were largely barred from reporting on events, and communications remain severely restricted, making verification of events on the ground difficult.
Chadema, which was barred from participating in the election, said protesters marched on Dar es Salaam’s city centre on Friday, facing a heavy presence of police and army personnel.
A security source told AFP that reports suggest over 500 deaths, with estimates ranging between 700 and 800 nationwide.
Amnesty International reported receiving information of at least 100 fatalities. Many hospitals and clinics were reportedly too fearful to speak with reporters.
Local news outlets have not updated coverage since Wednesday, and President Hassan has not commented on the unrest.
The only official statement came from army chief Jacob Mkunda, who described the protesters as “criminals.”
Following the unrest, the Tanzanian government shutdown the internet and imposed a curfew and banned foreign journalists from covering the events.
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