Chaos has gripped the East African nation of Tanzania amid a disputed election, with the opposition party saying more than 700 people have been killed since Wednesday.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan – the East African country’s first female leader – secured victory in presidential polls on Saturday, winning a whopping 97.66% of the vote, but the general election was marred by violence and controversy.
Why did the protests break out?
Protests erupted across Tanzania this week amid widespread allegations of election rigging.
The two main opposition figures who campaigned against Hassan were either banned from running or disqualified from the race, making the incumbent president’s victory all but certain.
Chadema’s Tundu Lissu has been jailed on charges of treason, while the party itself – Tanzania’s main opposition – has been banned from polls on a technicality.
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The other main opposition candidate Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party and a defector from the ruling party was disqualified on technical and procedural grounds.
The elimination of opposition candidates paved the way for an unopposed election, which Hassan won with nearly 98% of the vote.
How many were killed?
Figures vary widely on the number of victims of the protests.
The main opposition Chadema party claimed that more than 700 people had been killed since Wednesday and directly blamed the government’s excessive use of force for their deaths.
But the government denies using excessive force, calling the opposition’s count wildly exaggerated.
“No excessive force has been used at this time. No number of protesters have been killed so far,” the country’s foreign minister, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, told al-Jazeera on Friday.
Hassan has yet to comment.
Third-party verification of casualty figures is yet to take place, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said credible reports indicated at least 10 deaths in the three cities.
The UN Human Rights Office also confirmed that security forces used firearms and tear gas against protesters, and confirmed a nationwide curfew and internet restrictions during the election.
Meanwhile, the AFP news agency, citing security sources and a diplomat in the capital Dar es Salaam, said the deaths were “in the hundreds” without giving a number.
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What did the UN say?
As reports of protests and an alleged violent government crackdown spread, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lamented the loss of life in the East African country.
“Deeply concerned about the situation in Tanzania, including reports of deaths and injuries during demonstrations,” Guterres wrote on X.
“I call on all to exercise restraint, reject violence and engage in inclusive and constructive dialogue that will prevent further escalation,” added the UN Secretary-General.
Meanwhile, the UN OHCHR called on the government to release political prisoners.
“All those arbitrarily detained must be released immediately and unconditionally, and those detained in accordance with the law must be afforded full due process and the right to a fair trial. We call on the authorities to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all cases of election-related violence and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice,” the OHCHR said in a statement. declaration.
what’s next
With the election results unlikely to be overturned, Hassan, who first took office in 2021 after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, will now lead Tanzania for another five years, ruling over its 68 million people.
The president-elect also did not release any statement after her victory in the polls, while the opposition Chadema described Hassan’s victory as a “coronation”.
