Protesters defy army chief in third day of unrest

Protesters took to the streets in Tanzania for a third day, defying warnings from the country’s army chief to end the unrest.

Demonstrations are taking place in major cities with young protesters denouncing Wednesday’s election as unfair as key opposition figures were excluded from the race against President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Internet blackouts remain in place, making it difficult to confirm reports of deaths, and authorities have extended curfews in an attempt to quell the protests.

The UN has called on the East African nation’s security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force.

“We are alarmed by the deaths and injuries that have occurred during the ongoing election-related protests in Tanzania. Reports we have received indicate that at least 10 people have been killed,” UN human rights spokesman Seif Magango was quoted as saying by Reuters, citing “credible sources”.

Amnesty International in Kenya told the BBC that with communications cut in neighboring Tanzania, the rights group had been unable to confirm reports of deaths.

The country’s hospitals have refused to release information to journalists or human rights groups when asked about causal links.

The government tried to reduce the scale of the violence.

The election commission has announced results from about 80 regions out of a total of 100 regions of the country, state TV TBC shows.

President Samia is expected to win the vote under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has ruled the country since independence in 1961.

Official results are expected on Saturday.

Tanzania’s chief Muslim cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Zubair bin Ali, has urged Muslims to perform Friday prayers at home amid fears of escalating violence.

On Thursday, army chief General Jacob John Mkunda ordered the protesters off the streets, saying the military would work with other security agencies to contain the situation.

“Some people took to the streets on October 29 and committed criminal acts. These are criminals and the criminal acts must be stopped immediately,” General Mkunda said on state television, adding that the army had “controlled the situation”.

But protesters once again took to the streets of the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

In Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago – which elects its own government and leader – CCM’s Hussein Mwini, who is the incumbent president, won with nearly 80% of the vote.

The opposition in Zanzibar said there had been “large-scale fraud”, the AP news agency reported.

Tourists in the archipelago are also reported to be stranded at the airport with flight delays due to protests taking place on the mainland.

Protesters accuse the government of undermining democracy because the main opposition leader is in prison and another opposition figure was disqualified from the election, increasing Samia’s chances of winning.

Tundu Lisu, the main opposition leader, is in prison on treason charges, which he denies, and his party boycotted the vote.

The only other serious contender, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, was disqualified on legal technicalities.

Sixteen fringe parties, none of which had historically enjoyed significant public support, were allowed to participate in the election.

Samia took office in 2021 as Tanzania’s first female president following the death of President John Magufuli.

She was initially praised for easing political repression, but political space has since narrowed, with her government accused of targeting critics through arrests and a spate of kidnappings.