Tanzania Charges Over 100 with Treason After Deadly Election Protests
Judicial sources in Dar es Salaam confirmed that at least 138 people were charged with treason, accused of attempting to obstruct the election and intimidate the government by damaging state property. The offence is non-bailable, meaning the accused will remain in detention until their next hearing
A Tanzanian court has charged more than 100 people with treason following violent protests over the disputed October 29 presidential election, which rights groups say left hundreds, possibly thousands, dead
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party won the poll with 98 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission. However, opposition groups barred from running dismissed the election as a “sham”
Widespread demonstrations erupted across the country on election day, accompanied by a six-day internet shutdown that obscured reports of casualties and alleged human rights violations
Judicial sources in Dar es Salaam confirmed that at least 138 people were charged with treason, accused of attempting to obstruct the election and intimidate the government by damaging state property. The offence is non-bailable, meaning the accused will remain in detention until their next hearing
Lawyer Paul Kisabo of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition said many detainees were injured and denied medical treatment. Meanwhile, the opposition party Chadema claimed that at least 800 people were killed, with some reports suggesting the toll could be much higher
The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and six other NGOs condemned the “excessive use of force” against unarmed civilians, including killings inside homes
They reported that many families had been traumatized, children had witnessed violence, and hundreds of people remained in custody without bail
Opposition figures described harrowing scenes in Mwanza and other regions, saying bodies lay in the streets and hospitals overflowed with victims
Also read : Gachagua Reveals How He Saved Justin Muturi From Being Dropped From Cabinet
“We saw people being shot in broad daylight,” said Amos Ntobi, Chadema’s secretary in Mwanza. “There are so many bodies in the hospitals”
Observers from the African Union and regional blocs have since criticized the poll as “compromised,” citing intimidation, censorship, and the barring of opposition candidates
Despite mounting pressure from civil society and foreign diplomats, Tanzanian authorities have not released an official death toll or responded to calls for an independent investigation
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
