Keypoints:
- UN reports hundreds killed in protests
- Opposition claims over 1,000 deaths
- Government rejects figures, defends security forces
THE United Nations Human Rights Office said on Tuesday it believes hundreds of people were killed in Tanzania during violent protests following last month’s general election, amid mounting allegations that security forces attempted to conceal evidence of the killings.
In a statement, the UN said information gathered from multiple sources indicated that protesters and bystanders were among those killed, with many others injured or detained. The organisation added that volatile security conditions and a nationwide internet shutdown in the days after the vote made it difficult to verify the full scale of casualties.
‘Information obtained by the UN Human Rights Office from different sources in Tanzania suggests hundreds of protesters and other people were killed and an unknown number injured or detained,’ the statement read.
Allegations of body concealment
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed deep concern over reports that Tanzanian security forces removed bodies from hospitals and public streets and transported them to undisclosed locations. He described the alleged actions as ‘an apparent attempt to conceal evidence’.
The Tanzanian government, however, has previously denied using excessive force during the post-election unrest, insisting that police and soldiers were responding to violent attacks by what it called ‘criminal elements’. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa did not immediately respond to request for comment on the UN’s latest findings.
Election turmoil and opposition crackdown
The unrest erupted after the October 29 vote, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared the overwhelming winner with nearly 98 per cent of the vote. Her two main challengers were disqualified from the race, triggering widespread protests across major cities.
The main opposition party, the Party for Democracy and Progress (CHADEMA), and several human rights groups have claimed that more than 1,000 people were killed in the ensuing crackdown. The government has dismissed those figures as exaggerated but has yet to release an official death toll.
In an earlier statement on October 31 , the UN reported that at least 10 people had been confirmed dead in three cities, though it warned that the true number was likely much higher.
Widening arrests and treason charges
Authorities have arrested hundreds of protesters and opposition supporters since the violence began. According to police, more than 300 people face charges linked to the demonstrations, including 145 accused of treason.
On Monday, four senior CHADEMA leaders, including the party’s vice-chairman, were released on bail. CHADEMA’s leader, Tundu Lissu, has also been charged with treason—a case that dates back to April—and his exclusion from the presidential ballot is widely seen as one of the triggers of the current crisis.
Observers from the African Union last week said the vote did not meet democratic standards, citing the exclusion of key opposition figures and restrictions on freedom of assembly.
Government defends election record
President Hassan, who has led the country since 2021, has repeatedly rejected accusations that her government is suppressing dissent. She has defended the integrity of the electoral process, saying it reflected the will of Tanzanian voters.
Her administration last year announced an inquiry into reports of political abductions and disappearances, but the findings have not been made public. Rights groups say the government’s failure to disclose the results has only deepened mistrust.
The UN has urged Tanzanian authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the killings and disappearances, ensure accountability for any abuses, and restore full internet access to allow independent verification of events.
