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Based on the main rival group, roughly 700 civilians have allegedly been killed during three days of voting unrest in Tanzania.

Violence Starts on Voting Day

Demonstrations started on election day over allegations that protesters labeled the silencing of the rival camp after the exclusion of major contenders from the presidential race.

Fatality Figures Stated

An opposition official claimed that scores of people had been slain since the unrest began.

"Currently, the number of deaths in Dar es Salaam is approximately 350 and for Mwanza it is over 200. Added to numbers from other places around the country, the total count is around 700," he said.

He noted that the toll could be even larger because deaths might be occurring during a evening restriction that was imposed from election day.

Additional Accounts

• An official insider reportedly mentioned there had been accounts of exceeding 500 deaths, "perhaps 700-800 in the entire nation."
• Amnesty International said it had obtained data that a minimum of 100 people had been lost their lives.
• Rival groups claimed their numbers had been collected by a group of activists going to hospitals and medical centers and "counting the deceased."

Demands for Intervention

Rival officials urged the administration to "stop killing our demonstrators" and called for a transitional administration to pave the way for just and transparent elections.

"Halt violence. Respect the choice of the citizens which is democratic rights," the official stated.

Government Response

The government responded by imposing a curfew. Online restrictions were also noted, with international watchdogs stating it was countrywide.

The following day, the army chief denounced the violence and labeled the protesters "lawbreakers". He said security forces would seek to contain the crisis.

Global Response

The UN human rights office stated it was "alarmed" by the fatalities and harm in the unrest, mentioning it had gathered reports that at least 10 civilians had been slain by security forces.

The office mentioned it had received credible accounts of casualties in the port city, in Shinyanga and Morogoro, with law enforcement using real bullets and teargas to disperse protesters.

Legal Opinion

An civil rights lawyer claimed it was "unjustified" for law enforcement to resort to arms, stating that the nation's president "must avoid sending the law enforcement against the people."

"The president should pay attention to the citizens. The feeling of the country is that there was no fair vote … We cannot vote for a single contender," the advocate stated.