Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – November 2, 2025 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed profound concern on Friday over the escalating violence in Tanzania, where post-election protests have claimed numerous lives amid allegations of electoral fraud and heavy-handed security responses. In a statement delivered by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres decried the "loss of life" during demonstrations that erupted following the country's general elections on October 29, extending condolences to the victims' families and calling for urgent restraint from all parties.
The elections, which saw Tanzanians voting for a president, 264 members of the National Assembly, and local councilors, were marred from the outset by widespread discontent. Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who assumed office in 2021 after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, secured a resounding victory with over 97% of the vote, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence in 1961, also clinched nearly all parliamentary seats, with reports indicating 270 out of 272 constituencies. Turnout was officially recorded at 87%, an unusually high figure for the nation, where previous elections hovered around 60%.
However, the outcome has been branded a "farce" by opposition leaders, who argue the process lacked genuine competition. Key challengers were systematically sidelined: Tundu Lissu, the charismatic leader of the main opposition Chadema party, was arrested in April on treason charges after a rally demanding electoral reforms. The party was subsequently disqualified for refusing to sign a controversial electoral code of conduct. Similarly, Luhaga Mpina, candidate for the ACT-Wazalendo party, was barred following an objection from the attorney general. With these exclusions, Hassan faced only minor candidates from smaller parties, prompting critics to describe the vote as a "coronation" rather than a contest.
Protests ignited on election day itself, October 29, as frustrated voters in major cities like Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, and Morogoro took to the streets, chanting against "electoral theft" and the stifling of dissent. Demonstrators, many young and galvanized by social media campaigns under hashtags like #SuluhuMustGo and #TanzaniaUprising, blocked roads with burning tires, vandalized campaign posters, and clashed with riot police. Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of chaos: gunfire echoing through neighborhoods, tear gas clouds choking the air, and armored vehicles rumbling down deserted avenues.
The violence has persisted into its fifth day as of Sunday, despite a nationwide curfew imposed on October 30 and a near-total internet blackout that has severed communication lines and hindered verification of events. Foreign journalists, including CNN's Larry Madowo, were denied accreditation, with Madowo publicly stating that Tanzania "does not like independent critical reporting." Limited regional observers from bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) were eventually accredited, but their reports highlighted irregularities, including delayed polling and voter intimidation.
Casualty figures remain hotly disputed, underscoring the opacity fueled by the shutdown. Chadema spokesperson John Kitoka claimed on Friday that "about 700 people have been killed" over three days, with 350 deaths in Dar es Salaam alone and over 200 in Mwanza, based on accounts from health workers and morgues overflowing with unidentified bodies. A diplomatic source cited by the BBC corroborated a lower but still alarming toll, estimating "at least 500" based on credible evidence. Amnesty International reported around 100 fatalities, including one civilian and one police officer in initial clashes, while the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed "credible reports" of at least 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro from security forces using live ammunition and tear gas. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and local activists like Tito Magoti have documented at least five deaths on election day, with hundreds more injured by rubber bullets and beatings.
The government's response has drawn sharp international rebuke. Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo dismissed the opposition's figures as "hugely exaggerated," attributing the unrest to "criminal elements" in "small pockets of incidents" and insisting no excessive force was used. Army chief Jacob Mkunda echoed this, labeling protesters "criminals." Yet, the deployment of military units, extension of university closures, and work-from-home orders for civil servants signal the severity of the crisis. Dar es Salaam's port, a vital hub for regional fuel and mineral exports, has seen operations disrupted, while international flights remain canceled.
Guterres' statement, issued amid these developments, amplified global calls for accountability. "The Secretary-General underscores the critical importance of safeguarding fundamental rights, notably the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, including access to information," Dujarric said. Guterres voiced particular alarm over pre-election enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, urging authorities to ensure due process, detainee safety, and impartial probes into human rights violations per international standards. He implored stakeholders to "exercise restraint, reject violence, and engage in inclusive and constructive dialogue" to avert further escalation, adding that the UN "stands ready to support efforts aimed at fostering dialogue, strengthening democratic governance, and promoting sustainable peace in Tanzania."
This plea aligns with condemnations from Western nations. The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, and Norway issued a joint statement citing "credible reports of a large number of fatalities and significant injuries" from the security crackdown, demanding maximum restraint and respect for assembly and expression rights. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) have also expressed worry, though responses from regional peers like Kenya and Uganda have been muted, with Kenyan border points like Namanga seeing spillover protests. South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party outright condemned the polls as rigged through "intimidation, censorship, and state violence."
Tanzania's turmoil marks a stark departure from its reputation for stability in East Africa, a region scarred by electoral bloodshed in Kenya (2007), Uganda (2021), and Ethiopia's recent conflicts. Analysts trace the unrest to a broader democratic backsliding under Hassan, despite her initial promises of reform after Magufuli's authoritarian tenure. Freedom House downgraded Tanzania to "not free" in 2024, citing repression of media, civil society, and opposition. The 2025 vote, organized by an INEC accused of bias, occurred against this backdrop, with pre-election arrests of journalists and activists amplifying fears of a slide toward one-party rule.
On the ground, the human cost is palpable. In Dar es Salaam, a city of over seven million, neighborhoods like Mbagala and Gongo la Mboto have become flashpoints, with residents defying curfews to mourn the dead. Social media clips, smuggled via VPNs, show protesters carrying coffins through smoke-filled streets and families searching for missing loved ones. "There was no election at all," Kitoka declared, demanding a transitional government and fresh polls. A 70-year-old voter, speaking anonymously to Reuters, lamented: "We are afraid of speaking because they might come to our houses and pick us up."
Hassan's landslide, while cementing CCM's grip, risks deepening divisions in a nation of 68 million, where youth unemployment and inequality fuel discontent. As Hassan received her certificate in Dodoma, she hailed the result as proof of support for female leadership, but opposition voices like Lissu – still detained – warn of a "bloodbath" if grievances go unaddressed. With protests entering day five and internet restrictions persisting, the path to de-escalation remains fraught. Guterres' offer of UN mediation could prove pivotal, but only if Tanzanian authorities heed the call for transparency and justice.
As the sun sets over barricaded streets in Dar es Salaam, one young protester's placard captures the sentiment: "Now is the time for change." Whether that change comes through dialogue or further strife will define Tanzania's future – and test the resilience of its hard-won peace.
