Tanzania is facing intense international scrutiny and calls for an independent investigation into widespread allegations of human rights abuses, including killings and mass graves, that followed the country’s disputed presidential election on October 29. The US Foreign Affairs Committee has joined a chorus of voices demanding accountability, citing “shocking findings” and deeming the actions “unacceptable.”
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the recent election with over 97% of the vote, a result that opposition parties, notably Chadema, have vehemently contested after their presidential candidates were barred from participating. The exclusion sparked protests, leading to a violent crackdown by security forces.
A CNN investigation, utilizing geolocated videos, audio forensic analysis, and first-hand accounts, has documented the brutality, showing police and armed individuals shooting at largely unarmed protesters. The investigation also revealed morgues overflowing with bodies and satellite images consistent with reports of mass graves in Kondo cemetery, north of Dar es Salaam. The United Nations Human Rights Office, based on multiple sources, has suggested hundreds of protesters and civilians were killed, with many more injured or detained.
Initially, government officials denied any killings, but President Hassan later acknowledged some casualties, though without releasing figures. In response to the growing outcry, President Hassan announced the formation of an inquiry commission to probe the killings and unrest, stating it would inform reconciliation and peace efforts. She also indicated leniency for some arrested youths, suggesting they were influenced by peer pressure. Furthermore, Hassan acknowledged Chadema’s demands for constitutional reforms, promising to initiate the process within her first 100 days.
However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, continue to press for a “promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively” investigation into all killings by security agents. The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has also called for an impartial investigation and urged authorities to provide information on missing persons and the bodies of those killed. The situation was exacerbated by a nationwide internet blackout till 3rd of November, making it difficult to verify casualty figures and hindering information flow.
The opposition Chadema party leader, Tundu Lissu, remains imprisoned on treason charges, a situation highlighted by his American lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, who claims Lissu faces the death penalty. The international community, including the African Union, has been urged to condemn the elections and subsequent violence, with some critics describing the African Union as a “clubhouse for dictators” for congratulating President Hassan.
