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Opposition in Tanzania claims 700 killed in poll violence: What's happening in the African country
Demonstrations broke out in Dar-es-Salaam, following contentious elections in which the two primary opposition parties were excluded from participation.
As many as 700 people have been killed in three days of election protests in Tanzania, the country's main opposition party has alleged, according to AFP.
Demonstrations broke out on Wednesday in Dar-es-Salaam, following contentious and disorderly elections in which the two primary opposition parties were excluded from participation.
According to AFP, the country's President Samia Suluhu Hassan had sought to cement her position and silence critics in her party with an emphatic win in Wednesday's election.
Results from 120 of the country’s 272 constituencies show Tanzania’s first female leader in the lead with about 97% of the vote, reported Bloomberg.
The poll process turned into chaos after crowds took to the streets in Dar-es-Salaam and other cities, tearing down her posters and attacking police and polling stations on Wednesday. As a result, the internet was shut down and a curfew was imposed.
The main opposition party, Chadema, reported that clashes between protesters and security forces continued in the commercial hub on Friday.
"As we speak the figure for deaths in Dar (es Salaam) is around 350 and for Mwanza it is 200-plus. Added to figures from other places around the country, the overall figure is around 700," Chadema spokesman John Kitoka told AFP.
Tanzania violence: Amnesty puts toll at 100
While the Opposition has claimed the toll in poll-related violence at 700, the United Nations said "credible reports" indicated 10 dead, while Amnesty International said it had information of at least 100 killed.
AFP reported that multiple hospitals and health clinics were too afraid to talk directly to their reporters.
According to Bloomberg, police spokesman David Misime didn’t answer to calls and attempts to reach out to government spokesman Gerson Msigwa also failed.
Tanzania’s army chief said that criminal offences have occurred during the protests, including the destruction of private and public property.
“This is unacceptable,” the chief of the Tanzania People’s Defence Force Jacob Mukunda said in a televised speech on Thursday night. “We can’t allow this to continue happening.”
