UK, Canada, and Norway Raise Alarm Over Tanzania’s Bloody Elections as Protests Turn Deadly
The United Kingdom, Canada, and Norway have jointly raised concerns over the “alarming number of deaths and injuries” reported during Tanzania’s recent elections, following violent clashes between protesters and security operatives.
In a joint communiqué obtained by PulseNets, the three foreign missions expressed deep unease about the deteriorating situation that followed the October 28–29 national elections in Tanzania. The statement, issued through their respective Foreign Ministers, emphasized the need for restraint and respect for democratic rights amid growing unrest.
“We are deeply concerned about the developments in Tanzania following the national elections of 28 and 29 October. There are credible reports of a significant number of fatalities and injuries resulting from the security response to public demonstrations,” the statement read.
“We urge the Tanzanian authorities, as previously discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to exercise maximum restraint and uphold the citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”
According to diplomatic sources who spoke to PulseNets, the pre-election atmosphere in Tanzania was tainted by intimidation, abductions, and harassment of opposition candidates, journalists, and civil society actors.
Amnesty International had earlier sounded the alarm over what it described as a “wave of unchecked terror sweeping through Tanzania ahead of the elections,” noting that the government had intensified the use of repressive laws to silence dissent. The human rights watchdog warned of a “deepening human rights crisis ahead of the October 2025 general elections.”
The organization further lamented that Tanzania’s authorities had “weaponized legal and security institutions to target journalists, civil society members, and opposition voices.”
Meanwhile, the Tanzanian Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday declared President Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner of the disputed poll, which was marred by widespread protests and allegations of vote manipulation.
Officials told PulseNets that President Hassan secured nearly 98% of the total votes, a figure opposition groups have strongly contested.
Since Wednesday, protesters have flooded major cities across the country, demanding justice and transparency. The Chadema opposition party claimed that more than 700 Tanzanians have been killed in violent clashes with police forces nationwide.
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Several Tanzanians have taken to social media to express outrage, with some mockingly referring to President Hassan as “Idi Amin Mama,” drawing parallels between her and Uganda’s late dictator Idi Amin Dada amid the escalating violence.
Observers told PulseNets that the situation in Tanzania is likely to intensify international scrutiny and calls for electoral accountability, as the nation faces one of its most turbulent democratic moments in recent years.
