Tanzania tightens security, outlaws protests over disputed election

Tanzania’s premier curate asked each non-essential workers to enactment home, and nationalist transport was stopped up of the expected protests.

Tensions are precocious successful Tanzania aft the authorities outlawed planned protests implicit its disputed triumph successful elections successful October.

Police and soldiers were patrolling mostly bare streets successful large cities connected Tuesday – Tanzania’s Independence Day – aft the authorities preemptively ruled that immoderate protestation would beryllium amerciable and treated arsenic a coup attempt, and urged radical to enactment astatine home.

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Activists person called for protests implicit the ruling party’s triumph successful the ballot connected October 29. Rallies contesting the predetermination met a crackdown successful which hundreds of radical were killed and much than 2,000 detained.

On Tuesday, constabulary trucks and officers connected ft patrolled the commercialized capital, Dar es Salaam, the administrative superior Dodoma and the northeastern metropolis of Arusha, portion roadblocks were erected adjacent cardinal authorities installations including President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s heavy guarded offices.

The concern appeared calm arsenic of precocious morning, though 1 nonmigratory and immoderate activists connected societal media said tiny protests had begun successful immoderate parts of the city. This could not beryllium instantly confirmed.

Hassan won a caller term successful the October 29 predetermination with astir 98 percent of the ballot aft starring absorption candidates were barred from running.

She appointed a committee past period to investigate election-related violence, but has repeatedly denied that information forces acted with undue force.

United Nations quality rights experts said past week that astatine slightest 700 radical were estimated to person been extrajudicially killed successful the violence.

The authorities has acknowledged that radical died, but has not provided its ain decease toll.

The United States said past week that it was reviewing its narration with Tanzania implicit concerns astir unit against civilians arsenic good arsenic spiritual freedom, escaped code and barriers to investment.

In the months starring up to the elections, absorption leaders and quality rights activists accused the authorities of being down the disappearance of dozens of its critics.

Hassan said past twelvemonth that she had ordered an probe into reported abductions, but nary results person been announced.

A wide presumption of a deserted avenue successful Dar Es Salaam connected December 9, 2025 during a time of demonstrations against the convulsive crackdown by information forces connected predetermination demonstrations [AFP]