Tanzania’s opposition says almost 700 people have been killed during three days of nationwide protests following the exclusion of key opposition candidates from the presidential election. Violence, curfews, and internet blackouts have shaken the country.
Tanzania is facing one of its darkest political moments as the main opposition party claims that nearly 700 people have been killed during three days of protests following the country’s presidential election. The unrest erupted after several prominent opposition candidates were disqualified from participating, sparking widespread anger and accusations of electoral manipulation.
According to John Kitoka, spokesperson for the opposition Chadema party, at least 350 people were killed in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and more than 200 in Mwanza, with additional casualties reported in other regions—bringing the total to nearly 700 deaths. Kitoka warned that the true number could be even higher due to the nationwide curfew, which has made it difficult to gather accurate figures.
Security sources cited by the AFP confirmed more than 500 deaths, estimating the total nationwide toll at between 700 and 800. Amnesty International reported receiving credible evidence of at least 100 killings as police and soldiers moved to suppress demonstrations. At the same time, Tanzania has experienced internet shutdowns and heavy security deployments, leaving citizens struggling to access information.
People hold rubber bullets and teargas canisters after a post-election protest. Photograph
The country’s army chief, General Jacob John Mkunda, labeled protesters as “criminals” and vowed that security forces would restore order “by all means necessary.” The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed alarm over the deadly violence, citing reports of live ammunition and tear gas used against demonstrators in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro.
The protests erupted shortly after President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s contested re-election, which many Tanzanians and international observers described as unfair. Two major opposition leaders had been barred from running. In April, Chadema’s deputy chairperson, Tundu Lissu, was arrested and charged with treason and cybercrime. Later, Luhaga Mpina, leader of the ACT-Wazalendo party, was also disqualified. Several government critics have since been detained or disappeared in the lead-up to the vote.
Demonstrations began in the port city of Dar es Salaam and quickly spread nationwide. Protesters clashed with police, attacked government buildings, and damaged businesses linked to the ruling party. Opposition networks have been sending volunteers to hospitals and clinics to identify victims and document evidence of alleged state violence.
Kitoka and other opposition figures are calling for a transitional government to oversee free and fair elections, demanding that the current administration “stop killing innocent protesters.” Human rights lawyer Tito Magoti condemned the state’s use of force as “unjustifiable,” urging President Hassan to refrain from using police violence against her own citizens. “The atmosphere in the country shows that this was not a real election,” Magoti said. “You can’t have a vote when only one side is allowed to participate.”
The ongoing violence has left Tanzania in political turmoil, drawing growing concern from the international community and raising fears that the country, once seen as a model of stability in East Africa, may be sliding into a deep constitutional crisis.
