Tanzania's Election Protests Turn Deadly, Opposition Claims Over 700 Dead.
The situation in Tanzania has taken a dire turn as protests following the country's presidential election have claimed hundreds of lives. According to Chadema opposition party spokesperson John Kitoka, at least 700 people have been killed since Wednesday, when demonstrators took to the streets over alleged electoral irregularities and government repression.
Eyewitnesses report widespread violence, with protesters clashing with police and security forces in several cities across the country. Internet services were also disrupted, as internet monitor NetBlocks reported a nationwide outage.
Government officials, however, have taken a different stance, with the army chief condemning the violence and calling the protesters "criminals." The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed concern over the deaths and injuries, citing reports of at least 10 people killed by security forces.
The opposition party Chadema had called for widespread protests after several key candidates were excluded from the presidential ballot. The main contender, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is expected to strengthen her grip on power in the country.
Critics of the government have accused it of suppressing democratic voices and restricting free speech ahead of the election. The opposition party's disqualification from participating further fueled tensions, with some calling for a transitional government to pave the way for free and fair elections.
As the death toll rises, calls are growing for restraint and respect for human rights. Human rights lawyers say that using force against protesters is unjustified and that the president must listen to the people. With many more protests expected in the coming days, it remains to be seen whether Tanzania will enter a period of relative calm or descend further into chaos.
The situation in Tanzania has taken a dire turn as protests following the country's presidential election have claimed hundreds of lives. According to Chadema opposition party spokesperson John Kitoka, at least 700 people have been killed since Wednesday, when demonstrators took to the streets over alleged electoral irregularities and government repression.
Eyewitnesses report widespread violence, with protesters clashing with police and security forces in several cities across the country. Internet services were also disrupted, as internet monitor NetBlocks reported a nationwide outage.
Government officials, however, have taken a different stance, with the army chief condemning the violence and calling the protesters "criminals." The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed concern over the deaths and injuries, citing reports of at least 10 people killed by security forces.
The opposition party Chadema had called for widespread protests after several key candidates were excluded from the presidential ballot. The main contender, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is expected to strengthen her grip on power in the country.
Critics of the government have accused it of suppressing democratic voices and restricting free speech ahead of the election. The opposition party's disqualification from participating further fueled tensions, with some calling for a transitional government to pave the way for free and fair elections.
As the death toll rises, calls are growing for restraint and respect for human rights. Human rights lawyers say that using force against protesters is unjustified and that the president must listen to the people. With many more protests expected in the coming days, it remains to be seen whether Tanzania will enter a period of relative calm or descend further into chaos.
just saw this news from tanzania... 700+ dead is wild 
how can a country go from calm to this in like 2 days? 
and what's up with the gov't denying everything? 
seems like they're trying to sweep it under the rug. 
anyway, hope the people of tanzania get some justice soon 
! how can one party call protesters "criminals" when ppl are just exercising their right to peaceful protest? 
#TanzaniaProtests #JusticeForAll #HumanRightsMatter
. the opposition party's exclusion from the ballot was a clear warning sign, and now they're facing severe repression 
. it's like, ppl want to be heard, but the gov't is just trying to quash dissent 
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. it's time for Tanzania to take a step back and listen to its people 
#TanzaniaDeservesBetter #FreeAndFairElections #PeopleOverPropaganda
- it's like they're trying to silence the people's voice and maintain their grip on power. 
. It's time for the president to listen to the people and work towards a peaceful resolution, rather than trying to crush any dissent 
. 700+ dead is just crazy and so unfair. I think the government should take responsibility for the security forces' actions, it can't just blame the protesters all the time 
It's like they're trying to hide something. Anyway, I hope things calm down soon and that the president listens to the people 
this is so sad whats goin on in Tanzania rn? thousands of ppl losin their lives over election disputes feels like they're just tryna silence the opposition 
internet services are out too, thats even more crazy what kinda government do we need to have internet shut down for protests? sounds like they r tryna control everythin its not cool when u got voices silenced 700 deaths is a whole lotta lives 
I mean, I'm all for free speech and democracy, but come on guys! You can't have 700 people dead over a presidential election... that's just ridiculous 
Like what's next? Turning off the lights and saying "it's not our problem"? 
Okay, Tanzania, take a deep breath and listen to your people. This is getting out of hand... or should I say, out of control 
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. The use of force against unarmed civilians is never justified, it's a clear breach of human rights 
. This could lead to more authoritarianism and suppression of democratic voices in the future 
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I mean, you're gonna get killed for speaking out against the system? Give me a break! 
But seriously, how can you have free and fair elections when people are getting slaughtered in the streets? 
. I mean, I know elections can get heated, but 700 dead? That's just crazy. And for what? Because the government didn't want to listen to the people? 
It's like they're trying to silence everyone who doesn't agree with them. 
anyway, it seems like the gov is really trying to silence opposition and restrict freedom of speech which is super concerning... as a foreigner watching from afar, it's hard not to think about how this could've been prevented with more transparent elections and open communication 
The opposition party's disqualification from participating in the election was already a huge red flag, but to see people clashing with police and security forces, it's like they're fighting for their lives...and some have lost them 
And the way government officials are painting the protesters as "criminals" is just plain wrong. They need to take responsibility and listen to the people's voices, not silence them with force 
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i feel so bad for the ppl of tanzania who r losin their loved ones and freedom 
. The opposition party should be heard, not silenced.
. I think they need to take a step back and listen to what the people have to say. This is a classic case of government overreach 
- it's like they're trying to silence everyone who disagrees with the gov 
and demand that the army chief and government officials stop blaming the protesters for the violence