Tanzanian authorities have halted plans for fresh street demonstrations scheduled for next week, following weeks of deadly unrest that erupted after the country’s contentious elections.
The October 29 vote triggered widespread violence as opposition groups accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of manipulating the results and unleashing security forces on critics. Hassan was declared winner with 98 percent of the vote.
Human rights organisations and opposition figures allege that more than 1,000 people were killed in the post-election crackdown, although the government has yet to release any official casualty figures.
Despite tight censorship and government pressure, public outrage has persisted online, with activists urging nationwide protests on December 9.
However, in a statement issued late Friday, Police spokesperson David Misime announced that the planned demonstrations had been blocked.
He said no individual or group had formally sought authorisation for the rally, as required by law.
“Given the unlawful strategies that have emerged, the planned rally no longer satisfies legal provisions. The Police Force hereby prohibits the so-called peaceful and indefinite demonstrations,” the statement read.
Authorities also claimed that agitation for the protests was being amplified by actors both inside and outside the country, including anonymous social media accounts.
The information crackdown intensified earlier in the week when Meta suspended the Instagram accounts of two prominent Tanzanian activists who had posted images depicting violence during the unrest.
Meanwhile, the United States has said it is reassessing its relationship with Tanzania in light of the election crisis.
Tanzanian police ban planned protests after post-election violence
