Tanzania Faces Allegations of Mass Killings and Cover-Up Following Disputed Election

Mounting concerns are rising in Tanzania as the opposition alleges authorities are secretly disposing of the bodies of hundreds killed during crackdowns on protests following last week’s election, a situation that threatens to destabilize the East African nation.

Demonstrations erupted across the country after the Oct. 29 vote, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared the winner with over 97% of the vote. Foreign observers noted the election failed to meet democratic standards, citing the barring of key opposition figures from running. Chadema, the main opposition party, claims more than 1,000 people have been killed by security forces during the subsequent unrest, and alleges a deliberate effort to conceal the true death toll. “Tanzanians’ hearts are bleeding right now. This is a new thing for Tanzanians,” said Brenda Rupia, Chadema’s director of communications.

Reports from organizations like Human Rights Watch condemn the violent crackdown, citing accounts of point-blank shootings. The U.K., Norway, and Canada have also reported credible evidence of a large number of fatalities, while the Catholic Church estimates “hundreds” have died. Tanganyika Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi stated that his group’s accounts suggest over 1,000 deaths, describing the killings as a “massacre” targeting politically active regions. The disputed election and violent response raise concerns about the future of democratic processes in Tanzania, a country previously seen as relatively stable.

Authorities have not responded to the claims of mass killings, but have warned against sharing images or videos that could cause panic, even issuing text message threats of treason charges for those who do. Despite a six-day internet shutdown, reports continue to emerge, including allegations from a human rights lawyer of army trucks transporting bodies to be buried in a forest. President Hassan acknowledged loss of life in her inauguration speech yesterday and urged a return to normalcy.

Officials have asked public workers to return to work, signaling an attempt to restore order, but the opposition maintains it will not engage with the government until electoral and judicial reforms are implemented to ensure accountability for the alleged violence.