UN urges probe into Tanzania post-election violence as deaths rise
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UN calls for an independent investigation into election-related violence in Tanzania following protests and mass arrests after the October 29 vote.
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People protest a day after the general election following allegations of electoral irregularities in Arusha, Tanzania, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP)
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has expressed grave concern over reports that hundreds of people were killed, with many others injured or detained, during unrest in Tanzania following last month’s general election.
The office cited information from “different sources,” while noting that the security situation and internet shutdown have prevented independent verification of the toll.
“There are also disturbing reports that security forces have been seen removing bodies from streets and hospitals and taking them to undisclosed locations in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk.
He called for an independent investigation into the alleged killings and urged Tanzanian authorities to account for the missing and hand over the bodies of those killed to their families.
Widespread detentions and reported killings
Protests erupted across Tanzania after the October 29 presidential election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with approximately 97% of the vote.
The demonstrations escalated following the disqualification of her two main rivals, one of whom is Tundu Lissu, the opposition leader of the Chadema party.
Lissu, who has been in detention for several months on treason charges, had been advocating for electoral reforms, arguing that credible elections could not take place without substantial structural changes.
Opposition claims hundreds dead
Chadema spokesperson John Kitoka said the party has compiled reports indicating that as many as 1,000 people were killed by police and unidentified security personnel in eight of the country’s 31 regions after the elections.
While the Tanzanian government has acknowledged that fatalities occurred, it rejected the opposition's figures as exaggerated.
Earlier statements from the OHCHR criticized the use of “unnecessary or disproportionate force, including lethal weapons, against protesters” by security forces.
African Union criticizes electoral process
The African Union Election Observation Mission concluded last week that the Tanzanian elections did not meet the AU’s standards and principles for democratic processes.
Its report cited multiple irregularities, including ballot stuffing, the expulsion of observers during the vote count, and the exclusion of key opposition figures from the race.
Amid the crackdown on dissent, police released several opposition leaders on bail, including Chadema’s vice chairman. Over 300 individuals have been charged in relation to the protests, with at least 145 facing treason charges, according to Reuters.
Read more: Tanzania arrests opposition figure as protests turn fatal
