Security forces in Tanzania responded to widespread street protests over the country’s disputed October 29 general election with lethal force, leaving scores — and by some accounts hundreds or more — dead, prompting international alarm and calls for independent investigations.
The unrest began on election day after the country’s two main opposition figures were barred from standing, triggering mass demonstrations in Dar es Salaam and other cities. Video and eyewitness accounts that surfaced once an internet blackout was lifted allegedly showed security forces firing live rounds and using teargas against crowds. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented incidents in which police used excessive force against protesters.
Opposition parties say the toll is far higher than the official figures. Chadema, the main opposition party, has accused authorities of a campaign of deadly repression and suggested that the death toll could be in the hundreds or even thousands, claims that have not been independently verified but have nonetheless alarmed governments and rights bodies. The government has strongly disputed those figures, calling many of the opposition’s claims exaggerated.
Human rights organisations and the United Nations have described the response as disproportionate and have urged immediate, independent probes. The UN human rights office said it believed hundreds may have been killed and expressed concern about reports that authorities tried to conceal evidence, including allegations that bodies were removed from hospital mortuaries. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty have documented deaths from live ammunition and reported arrests, beatings and enforced disappearances connected to the crackdown.
Tanzania’s government has defended its handling of the unrest, saying security forces acted to restore order after episodes of violence and arson on election day. President Samia Suluhu Hassan — who was declared the winner with nearly 98% of the vote and later sworn in — has blamed foreign actors for stoking instability, while also announcing a probe into the post-election deaths. Critics and rights groups, however, say the announced investigations lack credibility unless they are independent and transparent.
The response has included a heavy-handed legal crackdown: hundreds of people have been detained and dozens charged with serious offences including treason, according to court filings and reporting. Religious leaders, including the country’s Catholic hierarchy, have publicly condemned the killings and urged accountability, while international actors have called for unrestricted access for investigators and for the release of detained opposition figures.
Tanzania now faces mounting diplomatic pressure and growing domestic anger. Observers warn that unless credible investigations are allowed and those responsible for unlawful killings are held to account, political tensions could deepen and the country’s international standing may suffer with potential implications for aid, investment and regional relations. Rights groups say the first step is unfettered access for independent investigators, full disclosure of casualty figures and the return of bodies to families so they may be buried according to law and custom.
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