Tanzania Security Forces Allegedely Have Killed a 1000 Persons

Based on multiple credible international and human rights organizations, there are serious and consistent reports that Tanzanian security forces have killed hundreds, and possibly over a thousand, people following the October 29, 2025 election. However, an exact death toll is difficult to confirm due to an ongoing government internet shutdown and allegations of evidence tampering.

Reported Death Tolls by Source

Source	Reported Death Toll / Key Information
UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR)	"Hundreds" killed. Unable to verify exact figures due to internet shutdown and volatile situation.
Coalition of 40+ African Rights Groups	Approximately 3,000 killed.
Tanzanian Opposition (Chadema)	Over 1,000 people killed.
Human Rights Watch (HRW)	Fears over 1,000 people killed.
Tanganyika Law Society	More than 1,000 people died based on received accounts.

Verification Challenges and Allegations

The precise number of casualties is hard to determine for several concerning reasons, which also lend credibility to the reports of a high death toll:

Information Blackout: The Tanzanian government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown following the election, severely limiting the flow of information and independent verification.

Alleged Concealment of Evidence: The UN Human Rights Chief and others have received "disturbing reports" that security forces have been removing bodies from streets and hospitals and taking them to undisclosed locations, in an apparent attempt to conceal the scale of the killings.

Mass Graves Allegations: A coalition of African rights groups has alleged that authorities are digging mass graves, particularly in the Mabwepande area, to hide evidence of extrajudicial killings.

Context of the Violence

The violence erupted after the October 29 presidential election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with over 97% of the vote. The election was criticized by international observers, including the African Union, for failing to meet democratic standards, as key opposition candidates were barred from running or imprisoned. Protests against these conditions were met with a severe crackdown by security forces, who reportedly used live ammunition.

Summary

Credible Allegations: Reports of hundreds, and potentially thousands, of killings come from highly credible sources like the UN, Human Rights Watch, and a wide coalition of African civil society organizations.

Lack of Official Transparency: The Tanzanian government has not provided its own death toll and has dismissed opposition figures as fabrications. The information blackout and allegations of a cover-up prevent independent confirmation.

International Concern: The scale of the reports has prompted serious international concern, with the UN human rights chief calling for independent investigations and for the bodies of the deceased to be returned to their families.

Therefore, while an exact figure is unconfirmed, the reports of a large-scale lethal crackdown are treated with high credibility by the international human rights community.