Police in Tanzania round up protesters on election day after demonstrations broke out over an alleged sham electoral process on Wednesday, October 29, 2025/SCREENGRAB
The United Nations has voiced concern over the escalating violence and human rights violations in Tanzania following the country’s disputed October 28 elections, which have sparked nationwide protests now entering their third day.
In a statement issued from Geneva and Nairobi, spokespersons for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani and Seif Magango, said the organisation was “alarmed by the deaths and injuries that have occurred in the ongoing election-related protests in Tanzania.”
The UN said it had received credible reports indicating that at least 10 people were killed in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Morogoro as security forces used firearms and teargas to disperse demonstrators.
The violence, according to the UN, has been accompanied by the imposition of a nationwide curfew and what appears to be a wide restriction of internet access since election day, without any official explanation.
The protests erupted after the October 28 general election to elect the President and members of the National Assembly, which many Tanzanians claim was marred by irregularities and the disqualification of key opposition figures.
What began as scattered demonstrations over the credibility of the vote quickly grew into violent unrest that spread across several regions, prompting security forces to crack down.
“We call on the security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force, including lethal weapons, against protesters, and to make every effort to de-escalate tensions,” the UN said.
“Protesters should demonstrate peacefully.”
The statement urged Tanzanian authorities to uphold their obligations under international human rights law, restore access to the internet, and guarantee citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
“Curtailment of communication will only further undermine public trust in the electoral process,” it warned.
The UN’s remarks come amid growing global alarm over the scale of post-election violence and the government’s heavy-handed response.
Reports from across Tanzania indicate widespread use of force by security agencies, arbitrary arrests, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation as protests continue in major towns.
The UN Human Rights Office said the violent scenes were unfolding in the aftermath of electoral campaigns already marked by “allegations of arbitrary arrests and detentions of opposition figures, including the opposition Chadema party leader and his deputy, and reported enforced disappearances of people expressing dissenting views, including the country’s former ambassador to Cuba.”
It called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those held in arbitrary detention and for those legally detained to be accorded full due process and fair trial rights.
“We urge the authorities to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all cases of election-related violence, and to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” the statement said.
The October 28 vote, intended to consolidate Tanzania’s democratic process, has instead plunged the country into turmoil, with protesters and security forces clashing in several cities.
Authorities have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, and the internet remains widely restricted, cutting off communication and fueling fears of further violations.
The UN reiterated its call for restraint and dialogue, saying the Tanzanian government must take urgent steps to de-escalate tensions and protect fundamental freedoms.
The global body warned that continued suppression of communication and dissent would erode public confidence in state institutions and further destabilise the country.
As the situation remains volatile, the UN’s appeal underscores mounting international concern that Tanzania’s crisis could deepen unless the government halts excessive force and opens channels for peaceful resolution.
