Tanzanian police disperse protesters in Dar es Salaam with tear gas and gunshots following chaotic election that excluded main opposition candidates.
DAR ES SALAAM: Police in Tanzania fired tear gas and gunshots on Thursday to disperse groups of protesters who returned to the streets a day after a general election marred by violent demonstrations.
Protests broke out in commercial capital Dar es Salaam and other cities during the vote on Wednesday over the exclusion of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s two biggest challengers from the presidential race.
Demonstrators also protested what they say is increasing government repression in the East African nation.
Police ordered an overnight curfew in Dar es Salaam after government offices and other buildings were set ablaze in the city of more than seven million people.
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Internet access appeared to be returning intermittently on Thursday after being disrupted during the election period.
Tanzanian human rights activist Tito Magoti told Reuters he had received reports of at least five deaths in Wednesday’s protests.
A diplomatic source said there were solid reports at least 10 people had been killed in Dar es Salaam though Reuters could not independently verify these reports.
Spokespeople for the government and police did not respond to requests for comment about the reported casualties.
The state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation began airing the announcement of provisional election results showing Hassan winning commanding majorities in various constituencies.
Dozens of protesters returned to the streets of at least three neighbourhoods in Dar es Salaam on Thursday where police fired gunshots and tear gas.
Other witnesses in the northern cities of Arusha and Mwanza said police fired tear gas to disperse small protests on Thursday.
The British government said international flights had been cancelled to and from Dar es Salaam’s airport.
British authorities also confirmed that airports in Arusha and one near Mount Kilimanjaro were closed.
The U.S. Embassy advised its citizens to shelter in place and warned that travelling by road posed significant risks.
The embassy statement noted that many international flights had been cancelled amid the ongoing unrest.
Magoti said the protests represented a political awakening as citizens become more active in demanding their rights.
The unrest presents a significant test for President Hassan who won plaudits after taking office in 2021 for easing repression.
Hassan had eased censorship and repression of opponents that had increased under her predecessor John Magufuli.
In recent years however rights campaigners and opposition candidates have accused the government of unexplained abductions of its critics.
Hassan said last year she had ordered an investigation into reports of abductions but no official findings have been released.
The government said a work-from-home order to civil servants would be extended to Friday through a post on government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa’s Instagram account.
The government also advised anyone without an urgent reason to go out should work from home during this period.
Tanzania’s main opposition party CHADEMA had called for protests during the election which also included votes for members of parliament.
The election also included voting for officials for the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago.
CHADEMA was disqualified in April after it refused to sign a code of conduct and its leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason.
The commission also disqualified the candidate for opposition party ACT-Wazalendo leaving only minor parties to take on Hassan. – Reuters
