Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Demonstrations have convulsed Tanzania for a second consecutive day, with hundreds of protesters taking to the streets on Thursday following a deeply disputed election. The crisis deepened as Amnesty International reported that two individuals had tragically lost their lives during the initial wave of civil unrest.
The on-going turmoil follows the imposition of stringent countermeasures by the Tanzanian government on Wednesday. Authorities moved swiftly to curb the burgeoning dissent, ordering a nationwide internet blackout, implementing a strict curfew in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, and deploying the military across the streets in a clear show of force.
The political tensions stem from Wednesday’s vote, in which the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), sought to extend its six-decade grip on power, having governed since the nation’s independence in 1961. The legitimacy of the poll has been severely undermined by the fact that presidential candidates from the country’s two main opposition parties were barred from running.
Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan stood against sixteen other candidates from smaller, relatively unknown political entities who had undertaken only minimal campaigning. Turnout for the election was reportedly low, setting the stage for the chaos that commenced swiftly in the afternoon. Protesters reacted by setting a bus and a gas station ablaze, attacking police stations, and vandalising polling centres.
Amnesty International has tragically confirmed the fatalities resulting from Wednesday’s clashes, reporting the death of both a civilian and a police officer. The government has yet to comment officially on the casualties arising from the on-going demonstrations.
The state’s immediate response was a comprehensive clampdown. Following the imposition of a curfew on Wednesday evening, which has primarily affected Dar es Salaam, authorities escalated their measures on Thursday. Public servants were instructed to work from home to limit the movement of non-essential personnel and discourage further assemblies.
Roadblocks manned by the Tanzanian army were swiftly erected across the country, with soldiers strictly enforcing the restrictions and turning away any citizen unable to demonstrate their status as essential workers.
Hundreds of demonstrators attempted to breach security barriers in a bid to access the main national airport road but were ultimately repelled. Further illustrating the severity of the situation, ferry services from the Tanzanian mainland to the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar were suspended ahead of the expected announcement of its regional electoral results.
In a move attracting international scrutiny, the security services have continued to hold key opposition figures. Tundu Lissu, a main opposition leader, remains incarcerated after being charged with treason for vociferously demanding electoral reforms, while Luhaga Mpina, the presidential candidate for the second-largest opposition party, was barred from participation.
Amnesty International has since called for a thorough investigation into the use of force by police against
