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Per the primary rival faction, around 700 civilians have allegedly been slain during a three-day period of voting unrest in Tanzania.

Unrest Starts on Voting Day

Demonstrations erupted on Wednesday over allegations that activists labeled the suppression of the rival camp after the exclusion of key hopefuls from the election contest.

Fatality Estimates Claimed

A rival representative declared that hundreds of people had been killed since the demonstrations began.

"As we speak, the number of deaths in Dar es Salaam is nearly 350 and for another city it is more than 200. Including numbers from other regions across the country, the overall number is approximately 700," he remarked.

The spokesperson mentioned that the toll could be much higher because deaths could be happening during a night-time lockdown that was imposed from election day.

Further Reports

• An official insider reportedly mentioned there had been information of exceeding 500 dead, "maybe 700-800 in the entire nation."
• Amnesty International said it had obtained information that a minimum of 100 civilians had been lost their lives.
• The opposition asserted their numbers had been collected by a network of supporters going to medical facilities and health centers and "tallying the deceased."

Demands for Change

Rival officials urged the authorities to "cease killing our activists" and called for a transitional administration to pave the way for just and transparent polls.

"End violence. Respect the will of the people which is electoral justice," the spokesperson said.

Authorities Measures

Officials responded by enforcing a restriction. Online restrictions were also observed, with international observers indicating it was countrywide.

The following day, the army chief condemned the unrest and called the protesters "offenders". The official stated security forces would seek to contain the crisis.

International Concern

United Nations human rights office expressed it was "worried" by the deaths and injuries in the demonstrations, adding it had obtained reports that a minimum of 10 civilians had been killed by authorities.

The office mentioned it had collected trustworthy information of casualties in Dar es Salaam, in Shinyanga and an eastern area, with law enforcement firing real bullets and chemical irritants to disperse demonstrators.

Expert Perspective

An human rights attorney remarked it was "unacceptable" for authorities to use force, adding that the country's leader "should refrain from using the law enforcement against the public."

"The president should listen to the citizens. The sentiment of the nation is that there was no election … We are unable to elect a single contender," the lawyer said.