Inside Tanzania’s post-election violence: 800 feared dead, hundreds charged with treason, and claims of govt cover-up. All you need to know

Hundreds of people were charged with treason on Friday (7th November) by a Tanzanian court in the aftermath of massive protests last week. Over 200 have reportedly been charged by the court for inciting demonstrations with the intention of obstructing the election, which was termed as “compromised” by the African Union election observers.

Elections were held in the East African nation on 29th October, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote. However, the opposition was barred from contesting the elections, which is why it denounced the elections as “sham”. As per reports, violent protests erupted across the country on the day of the election, during which hundreds of people are said to have been killed. A six-day internet shutdown was imposed by the authorities in view of protests. Some reports state that the authorities downplayed the scale of violence and claimed that the election process was free and fair.

The opposition accused the government of hiding numbers

The opposition party, Chadema, accused the government of hiding the death toll and claimed that at least 800 people were killed in the election violence. Some reports, based on diplomatic and security inputs, suggest that the number could be in thousands. Notably, the Tanzanian authorities have not released any official information about the deaths.

Chadema party’s secretary, Amos Ntobi, said that hundreds of people died in the northern Mwanza region alone. “We saw people being shot in broad daylight. There were bodies all over the streets – some people were killed instantly, others were left badly wounded. There are so many bodies in the hospitals,” Ntobi reportedly said. Ntobi added that he attended at least nine funerals, including those of two children aged 9 and 11. One of the children was shot near his house, and the other was killed while returning from a shop. He said that many people were shot dead and several others were beaten to death.

NGOs allege excessive use of force by Tanzanian authorities

A joint statement was reportedly released by seven NGOs, including the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), which stated that there was “excessive use of force” by authorities against unarmed protestors. It added that several civilians were killed inside their homes, which left their families traumatised. “Families have been left traumatised, and children have witnessed violence against their parents,” the statement stated, adding that young people were targeted, in particular. The statement further said that hundreds of people were arrested by Tanzanian authorities, and many are held in detention without bail.

The accused appeared before a court in Dar es Salaam on Friday. “Some of them have been beaten, they are sick, they have not received any medical treatment,” Paul Kisabo, a lawyer with the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, reportedly said. Kisabo said that the accused would remain in detention till the next hearing as they are charged with a non-bailable offence. The accused reportedly included a prominent Tanzanian businesswoman, Jenifer Jovin, who allegedly instigated protestors and advised them to wear gas masks to protect themselves from the police’s tear gas.

It is reported that the accused, if found guilty, could be granted the death penalty. However, no execution has taken place in the country since the 1990s. Most of the death sentences are eventually commuted to life imprisonment.

President Samia blames foreign elements for the violence

President Samia Suluhu Hassan first assumed office in 2021, becoming the first woman President of the country, following the death of President John Magufuli. She condemned the violence and blamed foreigners for creating the unrest. Samia’s remarks have instilled fear of safety in Kenyans living in the country. This led to Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi urging his Tanzanian counterpart to ensure the safety of Kenyans living in the country.

Tanzania and Kenya are core members of the East African Community (EAC). The relations between the two countries were strained in May this year over Tanzania’s treatment of Kenyans who had gone to Dar es Salaam to observe the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

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