Survivors describe lasting injuries and trauma as opposition leaders and rights organizations accuse authorities of intensifying their crackdown
By Midtown Times Staff
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (Midtown Times) — One year after Tanzania’s disputed general election descended into deadly unrest, survivors and victims’ families are still seeking justice while government critics report continuing arrests, disappearances and politically charged prosecutions.
The violence followed the Oct. 29, 2025, election in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote. Major opposition candidates and parties had been excluded from the contest.
A government-appointed commission recorded at least 518 deaths and more than 2,000 injuries. Its chairman acknowledged that the actual death toll could be higher because some families buried relatives without reporting their deaths. Opposition groups have offered significantly higher estimates.
Among those still suffering is Twaha Bomeza, 61, who told Agence France-Presse that he was injured while security forces dispersed demonstrators in Dar es Salaam. Shrapnel remains lodged near his eye, and he said he cannot afford the surgery needed to remove it. He also lost four front teeth and continues to experience headaches and difficulty breathing.
Another survivor, Joseph Zakayo, 37, said a gunshot wound to his thigh left him unable to continue working as a motorcycle-taxi driver.
Religious organizations held services Thursday in memory of those killed, while the main opposition party, Chadema, declared seven days of mourning. Police maintained a heavy presence across Dar es Salaam as residents gathered quietly to remember the victims.
Rights organizations say no official has been held criminally responsible for the reported abuses. Human Rights Watch said families of those killed or missing are still waiting for credible investigations, while Amnesty International accused authorities of using counterterrorism laws to suppress dissent.
The government established a second commission in August to investigate responsibility for the violence, including allegations of excessive force and the disappearances of victims. Critics have questioned whether the inquiry will operate independently and publish its findings.
Political tensions have also intensified ahead of a Nov. 6 verdict in the treason trial of Chadema leader Tundu Lissu. Prosecutors accuse him of encouraging resistance to the 2025 election, while his lawyers argue that the government has failed to prove its case.
Lissu reportedly began refusing food after prison authorities allegedly restricted access to his attorneys. The Tanzania Prisons Service disputed claims that he was conducting a hunger strike and said he remained safe.
Another Chadema official, John Pambalu, was recently charged with treason. Rights advocates have also raised concerns about alleged abductions and dozens of people facing terrorism-related accusations.
President Hassan has described the 2025 unrest as an attempt to overthrow the government and has defended security forces for preventing further disorder. The initial inquiry did not identify the individuals or institutions responsible for the deaths, although it recommended additional criminal investigations.
For survivors and grieving families, however, the anniversary is a reminder that the country has yet to resolve the trauma and political divisions created by the election.
Calls for accountability now extend beyond determining how many people died. Victims and advocates are demanding public acknowledgment, medical assistance, transparent investigations and consequences for anyone found responsible.
