Tanzania Eases Curfew and Internet Blackout After Deadly Post-Election Violence

Some Tanzanians cautiously returned to the streets on Tuesday as the government partially lifted a curfew and eased a nationwide internet blackout imposed after last week’s violent elections that the opposition claims left hundreds dead

The electoral commission declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the October 29 poll with 98 percent of the vote  a result the opposition has dismissed as a “sham”

While internet connectivity has begun to return intermittently, access to verifiable information from across the country remains limited

In Dar es Salaam, AFP reporters observed signs of normalcy returning, though residents said fear still lingered

“I hope violence will not come again,” said food vendor Rehema Shehoza, 32. “Some of us would die from hunger because I need to get out for work to get my daily bread”

Police on Monday lifted the curfew imposed on election day, allowing limited public transport to resume. Long queues formed at reopened fuel stations as private tuk-tuks and motorbikes helped fill transportation gaps

Security forces remained deployed in major cities, though in smaller numbers than in previous days. The partial return of the internet saw graphic images purportedly showing violence circulate online, though AFP could not independently verify their authenticity

Authorities warned against sharing footage that could “cause panic or humiliate others,” threatening legal action against those who do

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Diplomatic sources cited “credible reports” suggesting hundreds or even thousands of deaths had been registered at hospitals nationwide. Opposition party Chadema claimed to have documented at least 800 fatalities by Saturday, though these figures could not be independently confirmed

In her victory speech, President Hassan expressed sorrow over “incidents of violence that have led to loss of lives” and pledged that the security and defence forces would investigate

However, diplomatic observers voiced concern that the internet blackout may have been used to suppress evidence and target opposition members suspected of recording abuses

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Human Rights Watch reported that a Dar es Salaam resident said her neighbour was shot dead by a man in civilian clothes outside his home on October 30  despite not having participated in the protests

The situation in Tanzania remains tense, with both local and international observers warning that the government’s heavy-handed response and the alleged suppression of opposition voices have eroded confidence in the country’s democratic institutions

Writer : Mweru Mbugua