‘700 Killed’ In Tanzania Election Protests, Opposition Claims Amid Internet Shutdown: Violence Erupts

A huge political storm has hit Tanzania as its main opposition party, Chadema, claims that almost 700 people have been killed in three days of violent clashes that this week’s general elections triggered. On Wednesday, demonstrations broke out in Dar es Salaam shortly after a contentious election excluded candidates from the country’s two major opposition parties. The opposition has accused the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of using force to silence dissent and secure an uncontested victory.

According to AFP, which cited Chadema, security forces opened fire after protesters destroyed campaign posters and targeted polling booths. Chadema spokesman John Kitoka said that some 350 people were killed in Dar es Salaam and over 200 in the northern town of Mwanza, putting the nationwide toll at nearly 700. Independent verification has not been possible, with reports that hospitals have refused to speak to media due to fears of government repercussions.

The election crisis

Results from the election so far put President Samia Suluhu Hassan in a commanding lead, with early numbers from 120 of Tanzania’s 272 constituencies placing the country’s first female president at nearly 97% of the vote, according to Bloomberg. Critics have stated that this is because of the decision by electoral authorities to bar the two primary opposition parties from contesting, which effectively cleared the path for Hassan’s re-election.

With protests intensifying, the government blocked internet services and imposed a curfew. Armoured vehicles and heavily armed security personnel have been deployed in major cities including Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania People’s Defence Force has justified the deployment of the army, with the Army chief Jacob Mukunda saying in a televised address that criminal acts such as destruction of public and private property cannot be tolerated and the military would not allow the unrest to continue.

The violence has been widely condemned by the international community, though reports of casualties vary wildly: the opposition estimates nearly 700 killed, while the United Nations estimates “credible reports” of at least 10 people killed. Amnesty International, citing field reports from local networks, puts the toll at approximately 100 lives lost so far – though it qualifies the figure as unverified. Meanwhile, government officials and police spokespeople have not replied to media requests for casualty counts.

Political tensions continue to rise as Chadema’s senior leadership remains imprisoned. Party chairman Tundu Lissu has been imprisoned since April on treason charges, and the deputy leader John Heche is also in police custody. Chadema has maintained that protesters will not retreat until democratic reforms are introduced and fair elections are guaranteed. For years, Tanzania has been considered one of the more stable democracies in East Africa, but it is now at the center of a growing crisis.

The shutdown of the internet, a lack of transparent data on casualties, and reports of widespread arrests have raised international concerns over shrinking democratic space in the country. Protests stretch into the weekend, with no indication either way that either side would back down.

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