Tanzania police fire on protesters after chaotic election - VIDEO
At least two dead as citizens take to streets of Dar-es-Salaam following exclusion of major opposition figures.
Police in Tanzania’s largest city fired gunshots and deployed tear gas against protesters after a tense presidential election, leaving at least two people dead, Amnesty International reports, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
In Dar-es-Salaam, residents defied a curfew on Thursday in neighborhoods including Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya. Videos show crowds clashing with police amid the chaos.
Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, called the deaths “deeply disturbing” and urged authorities to conduct a full, independent investigation.
The unrest comes after President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s two main rivals were barred from running, sparking anger among citizens and rights groups. Many polling stations were set ablaze, and internet access was cut across the city.
Despite the blackout, protesters coordinated using the Zello app and blocked major roads, including the route to Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Hassan, who took office in 2021 after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli, has faced criticism for a pattern of escalating attacks, disappearances, and torture of critics, according to the United Nations.
Only minor opposition candidates were allowed to contest after the Independent National Electoral Commission disqualified Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, in April. Party leader Tundu Lissu was also arrested and charged with treason earlier this month.
The election follows similar tensions in other African countries this month, including Ivory Coast and Cameroon, where citizens expressed frustration over long-standing leaders seeking to extend their power.
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