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As per the primary opposition faction, about 700 citizens have purportedly been slain during a three-day period of poll-related unrest in Tanzania.

Unrest Breaks Out on Election Day

Demonstrations broke out on Wednesday over claims that demonstrators labeled the suppression of the rival camp after the disqualification of prominent hopefuls from the election contest.

Death Estimates Stated

An rival spokesperson declared that hundreds of people had been killed since the demonstrations began.

"At present, the death toll in Dar es Salaam is approximately 350 and for Mwanza it is over 200. Including figures from other places across the country, the final figure is nearly 700," he said.

The spokesperson mentioned that the toll could be even larger because fatalities could be occurring during a nighttime lockdown that was implemented from Wednesday.

Additional Estimates

• A official source reportedly claimed there had been accounts of over 500 dead, "maybe 700-800 in the nationwide."
• The human rights organization said it had obtained reports that no fewer than 100 civilians had been killed.
• The opposition stated their estimates had been compiled by a group of activists visiting medical facilities and health centers and "documenting the deceased."

Demands for Intervention

The opposition demanded the authorities to "cease targeting our demonstrators" and demanded a transitional government to enable democratic elections.

"End excessive force. Honor the voice of the citizens which is democratic rights," the official declared.

Authorities Measures

The government responded by enforcing a restriction. Online restrictions were also noted, with international observers stating it was countrywide.

The following day, the army chief criticized the violence and called the demonstrators "lawbreakers". He stated law enforcement would attempt to manage the unrest.

International Concern

United Nations human rights office expressed it was "deeply concerned" by the fatalities and harm in the unrest, noting it had received reports that a minimum of 10 people had been slain by law enforcement.

The organization reported it had received trustworthy accounts of fatalities in the port city, in Shinyanga and Morogoro, with law enforcement using live ammunition and chemical irritants to break up protesters.

Legal Perspective

An civil rights attorney claimed it was "unacceptable" for law enforcement to employ violence, adding that the nation's leader "should cease deploying the law enforcement against the public."

"She needs to pay attention to the people. The sentiment of the country is that there was no election … The people are unable to vote for one candidate," the lawyer said.