Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, has accused police of disposing of hundreds of bodies after a violent crackdown on protesters following last week’s disputed general election, which returned President Samia Suluhu Hassan to power in a landslide.
Protests erupted across several regions of the country after opposition candidates were barred from participating in the vote, sparking anger over what many described as an “election without choice.” Security forces responded with force, enforcing curfews and imposing an internet blackout as clashes spread.
Chadema’s communications director Brenda Rupia told CNN the party had “documented 2,000 deaths” so far, including over 100 members of their own ranks. She alleged that police had “thrown away over 400 bodies” in undisclosed locations, preventing families from recovering the remains of loved ones.
“The police are stopping people from taking dead bodies away,” Rupia said, adding that more deaths were being discovered daily in different regions.
The Tanzanian government has dismissed the opposition’s figures as “hugely exaggerated.” Authorities have not released an official death toll, but President Hassan acknowledged fatalities during her inauguration speech on Monday, without specifying numbers.
The African Union, Human Rights Watch, and the governments of Canada, Norway, and the United Kingdom have all expressed deep concern over reports of mass casualties and the use of “lethal force” by Tanzanian security forces.
The AU Commission said it was “extremely concerned” by the scale of the violence, adding that the nationwide internet shutdown made independent verification difficult.
Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, was sworn in for a second term after what international observers called an election that “fell short of democratic standards.” Opposition leader Tundu Lissu remains detained on treason charges, accused by the government of plotting to disrupt the October 29 vote.
Police have not commented publicly on the allegations but recently warned citizens against sharing “panic-inducing” photos and videos on social media, after graphic footage of apparent victims began circulating as internet access was gradually restored.
Rupia said she is now in hiding, fearing for her safety. “A lot has happened in the past few days, and I know the worst is yet to come,” she said.
