Protests over Tanzania’s disputed presidential election have entered a third day, with reports suggesting that hundreds may have been killed amid a government crackdown.
Demonstrations erupted across the East African nation on Wednesday following the announcement of election results that opposition groups have dismissed as fraudulent. In response, authorities imposed a curfew in Dar es Salaam and restricted internet access, further fuelling public outrage.
By Thursday, the electoral commission declared that President Samia Hassan was in an early lead with 96.99 percent of votes counted in just eight of the 272 constituencies. The announcement triggered fresh waves of unrest, as protesters accused the government of rigging the polls.
A diplomatic source told the BBC on Friday that credible evidence suggested at least 500 people had died in the violence, while other reports put the figure at over 700.
Tanzania’s Chief of Defence, Jacob Mkunda, labelled protesters “criminals” and warned that the army had “controlled the situation”. “Some people went to the streets on 29 October and committed criminal acts. These are criminals, and the criminal acts should be stopped immediately,” he said.
However, verifying the scale of the violence remains difficult as journalists and human rights observers have been cut off due to the internet blackout. Media outlets have been unable to reach reporters on the ground.
Reportedly a heavy military and police presence in Dar es Salaam, with troops patrolling major roads as tension continues to grip the country.
