Tanzania: Police Use Lethal Force to Suppress Election Protests

Sun Nov 30 2025 23:11:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A comprehensive report detailing the violent actions of police against protesters during Tanzania's recent elections, revealing severe human rights violations and a government crackdown.

Amid widespread protests in Tanzania following recent presidential elections, police have responded with deadly force, resulting in numerous casualties and allegations of human rights abuses. Footage confirmed by BBC Verify shows armed officers firing on crowds, with credible reports estimating hundreds dead. The situation has raised international concern, prompting calls for accountability and a full investigation into the events.

Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence and gunshot injuries.

A crowd runs in panic along a dusty street. Shots ring out. A woman wearing a purple jacket carrying a stick falls to the ground.

Another woman can be heard pleading, Mama, mama, stand, as she tries to lift her. Blood is spreading around her stomach as another stain appears on her back.

This verified footage, filmed in Tanzania's city of Arusha, is just one of many graphic scenes to have emerged showing the violent actions of police as they attempted to crush widespread protests last month during the country's presidential and parliamentary elections.

The protests started in Dar es Salaam on 29 October and spread across the country over the following days, largely organized by young people frustrated with the long-term dominance of a single political party since Tanzania's independence in the 1960s.

Several opposition leaders were arrested, and others were banned from standing during the elections while many activists were detained. Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan ultimately secured victory with an overwhelming 98% of the vote, according to the electoral commission.

The UN human rights office reported that hundreds of people were killed during the unrest, with some sources claiming at least 500 fatalities. Following the elections, the government imposed a near-total internet blackout that delayed the release of footage depicting the protests for nearly a week.

Once lifted, numerous videos surfaced showing police firing on protesters, with dead bodies scattered on the streets, as well as visuals of injured individuals receiving aid. BBC Verify's analysis has provided a clearer picture of the police's violent response during these events.

In Dar es Salaam, armed police units confronted protesters with tear gas and gunfire, causing chaos. Videos depicted clashes at key locations like the Morogoro Road, where bodies were seen lying near a church, surrounded by blood.

Investigators confirmed the use of live ammunition based on audio evidence, with several videos showing police openly firing at fleeing crowds. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for an investigation into the killings and violations during this critical period in Tanzania's democracy.