Bloody Assault on Democracy in Tanzania! 700 Bodies Lie on the Streets After Three Days of Election Protests

New Delhi: The African nation of Tanzania is facing a tough time due to unrest in the country right now. The biggest opposition group, Chadema, says nearly 700 people have lost their lives in angry street protests tied to the elections over the last three days all across the land. Citing the news agency, Chadema's spokesperson John Kitojo shared on Friday that "right now in Dar es Salaam, around 350 have died, and in Mwanza the count tops 200.  Including figures from other parts of the country, the total number is about 700.

How did the trouble kick off in Tanzania?

Things heated up in Tanzania on Wednesday after a messy national vote that many see as rigged for President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her top party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, or CCM. Out of nowhere, disorder hit during the balloting. Folks in the crowds ripped down signs, charged at cop stations, and got into fierce fights with guards.

Angry people filled the roads in spots like Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, and beyond. They tangled hard with cops and troops. In the mess, leaders cut off the web and set a stay-home rule. Media reports said on Friday, the third day straight, online access stayed dead. They also kept outside reporters from getting close to the story.

The one word from officials came from top soldier General Jacob Makunda. He labeled the crowds "outlaws" and swore to bring back calm. Per the AP wire, bunches of marchers squared off against police in the business hub. That forced extra soldiers into the zone.

What made the political heat worse in Zanzibar?

Word from AP says CCM's pick for leader, Hussein Mwinyi, took the win in Zanzibar with 78.8 percent of the ballots. The rival team, ACT-Wazalendo, shot down the outcome as a cheat. They said their watchers got kicked out of the tally spots. An AFP quote from a high-up in ACT-Wazalendo went like this: "They stole the say of Zanzibar's everyday people... The only fair fix is fresh voting."

What's the real story behind the moves and the mood?

Watchdog groups for rights flagged fears of scare tactics way before vote day. They talked about grabs of foe bosses and threats to shut them up. Since taking over from John Magufuli back in 2021, President Hassan has dealt with pushback from inside her own crew and the military. Experts think she pushed for a strong vote win to lock in her spot during all this grumpiness.

Why is the UN calling for calm?

The world body, United Nations, slammed the rough handling in the clashes. Come Friday, UN leaders urged Tanzania's bosses to hold back. From Nairobi, spokesperson for human rights at UN, Safi Mwangango, put it plain: "We urge the guards to skip extra force on the crowds, and do all they can to cool things down."