Authorities in Tanzania have initiated a manhunt for ten individuals, including prominent opposition figures, whom they accuse of orchestrating violent demonstrations that erupted during last week’s presidential election. The government claims these individuals planned and coordinated protests that turned deadly.
According to human rights organizations and the primary opposition party, security forces killed over a thousand demonstrators during the political unrest. While government officials have disputed these casualty figures as inflated, they have not provided alternative numbers.
The election saw incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared victorious with an overwhelming 98% of the vote. However, the opposition coalition, which had been barred from fielding candidates, immediately denounced the results as illegitimate. International observers noted the absence of major challengers from the ballot and reported numerous electoral irregularities.
Prosecutors have formally charged 145 people with treason in connection with the protests. A police spokesperson stated that security forces are conducting an intensive operation to locate all individuals involved in planning and executing what authorities described as “evil acts.”
Among those targeted for arrest are senior officials from the main opposition party, including its secretary general and communications director. The opposition leader himself had been charged with treason earlier this year and prevented from running in the election, a move that significantly fueled public discontent.
Human rights monitors documented widespread internet shutdowns and what they characterized as excessive force used against demonstrators. They also reported that in the period leading up to the election, authorities engaged in enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions.
The government has attributed the violence to foreign influences, with the president suggesting that those arrested included individuals from other countries. Despite the turmoil, President Hassan was formally sworn into office during a ceremony closed to the general public and held at a military facility in the capital.
The current administration, initially welcomed by activists for easing political restrictions, now faces accusations of reverting to authoritarian tactics amid the ongoing crackdown on dissent.
