The streets of Tanzania’s largest cities have been engulfed in turmoil since the country’s contested general elections on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. What began as a tense vote quickly spiraled into widespread unrest, with opposition parties and international observers now issuing starkly different accounts of the violence’s true toll.
According to the main opposition party, Chadema, the aftermath has been nothing short of catastrophic. John Kitoka, Chadema’s spokesperson, told AFP and the BBC that “around 700” people have died in the chaos that followed the disputed election. He broke down the numbers: approximately 350 fatalities in Dar-es-Salaam and more than 200 in Mwanza, with the remainder spread across the nation. Chadema claims to have reached this figure by touring hospitals countrywide, a grim task that underscores the scale of the tragedy they allege is unfolding. A diplomatic source corroborated to the BBC that there is credible evidence of at least 500 deaths.
Yet, the Tanzanian government flatly denies these claims. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told Al Jazeera and BBC Focus on Africa that, “Currently, no excessive force has been used,” and insisted, “I’ve not seen these 700 anywhere … There’s no number until now of any protesters killed.” He described the violence as “a few isolated pockets of incidents here and there” and emphasized that “security forces acted very swiftly and decisively to address the situation.” Kombo also justified the nationwide internet blackout, saying it was necessary to “stop such vandalism and save lives.”
Amid the conflicting narratives, independent verification has been severely hampered. Hospitals in Dar-es-Salaam, the commercial capital of over seven million people, have reportedly been overwhelmed with casualties and full morgues since Thursday, October 30. Journalists and human rights groups have struggled to confirm casualty figures, with some hospitals refusing to release information about the dead and wounded. One Chadema politician voiced fears for his safety, telling the BBC’s Newshour, “Massacres are carried out during night hours when no-one is there to witness them. [The security forces] are tracking down all our leaders and some have had to leave the country. These people kill with impunity.”
The United Nations has weighed in, attempting to cut through the haze of uncertainty. UN human rights spokesperson Seif Magango told reporters in Geneva that “credible sources had indicated at least 10 deaths at the hands of security forces so far.” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an investigation into allegations of excessive force, with his spokesperson expressing deep concern about “reports of enforced disappearances and detentions in the lead-up to the elections.”
International condemnation has not been limited to the UN. Foreign ministers from the UK, Canada, and Norway issued a joint statement urging Tanzanian authorities “to act with maximum restraint” and to respect “freedom of expression.” Human Rights Watch (HRW) and a panel of UN experts have also repeatedly warned of election-related violence and repression in the months leading up to the vote. HRW’s South Africa researcher, Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, warned that Tanzania’s October elections were at “great risk,” and called on authorities to “stop muzzling dissenting voices and the media and instead engage in meaningful reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections.”
The roots of the unrest run deep. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has governed Tanzania since independence in 1961, sought to extend its grip on power. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took office in 2021 after her predecessor John Magufuli’s death, faced little serious opposition. The two main challengers—Chadema’s Tundu Lissu and ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina—were barred from the race. Lissu was arrested and charged with treason after calling for electoral reforms, while Mpina was excluded on legal technicalities. Sixteen minor parties, none with significant public support, were allowed to run.
For many Tanzanians, this lack of real choice fueled anger and frustration. Demonstrations erupted across Dar-es-Salaam and other cities, with mostly young protesters taking to the streets to denounce what they saw as an unfair election. Protesters set fire to vehicles, a petrol station, police stations, and even national electricity utilities. The government responded by deploying the military, enforcing curfews, and shutting down the internet—measures that only seemed to inflame tensions further.
Despite the heavy-handed response, the protests continued into Friday, October 31, with hundreds of demonstrators squaring off against police for a third straight day. In neighborhoods like Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya, those defying curfew were met with tear gas and gunfire. The government postponed the reopening of colleges and universities, originally scheduled for Monday, November 3, citing the ongoing unrest.
The violence and suppression have not been confined to the mainland. In Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago, the CCM’s Hussein Mwinyi reportedly won re-election with nearly 80% of the vote. The opposition called the result “massive fraud,” and protests there have been met with a heavy military presence. Tourists found themselves stranded at Zanzibar’s airport, as the mainland protests and internet blackout delayed flights and disrupted travel plans.
Official election results were expected on Saturday, November 1, but few doubted the outcome. President Hassan, Tanzania’s first female leader, was widely anticipated to secure victory under the CCM banner. While she was initially praised for easing some political repression after taking over from Magufuli, critics say her government has since narrowed the political space, targeting dissenters through arrests, abductions, and intimidation. Human rights organizations documented at least 10 recent instances of politically motivated assault, harassment, abduction, and torture, as well as “extensive restrictions” on media and civil society organizations.
The military has taken a prominent role in the government’s response. Army chief Jacob John Mkunda condemned the violence and pledged on Thursday that the military would work with other security agencies to contain the situation. The government has repeatedly asserted that it is acting to preserve order and protect property, but for many, these reassurances ring hollow.
As Tanzania awaits the final tally and the world watches closely, the true scale of this week’s tragedy remains shrouded by censorship, fear, and conflicting accounts. What is clear is that the country faces a deep crisis of trust—between government and governed, between official narratives and lived realities. Whether that rift can be healed in the weeks and months ahead remains to be seen.
