Archive · 9 Jan 2026
Tanzania's Election Violence Targeted Civilians, Witnesses Say
During Tanzania's elections in October, there was a lot of violence.
Police shot and killed many people, even those who were not protesting.
Witnesses say that in one area called Mjimwema, police came and started shooting without warning.
They killed more than a dozen people who were just in a cafe.
The government says they are looking into what happened, but many people are saying the police were too violent.
The U.N. and other groups are also concerned about the high number of people killed.
The president won the election with a very high percentage of votes, but many people are upset about how the elections were handled.
Police in Tanzania opened fire on civilians in Mjimwema, killing over a dozen people in a cafe.
Witnesses reported that police shot at people who were not protesting, sometimes far from demonstrations.
The violence was part of the worst political unrest in Tanzania's post-independence history, driven by the exclusion of opposition candidates.
The U.N. estimates hundreds were killed, and the U.S. is reviewing its relationship with Tanzania.
The government has established a commission of inquiry but denies a policy of intentional brutality.
- Who
- Civilians, including cafe patrons, and security forces in Tanzania
- What
- Violence and killings during and after the October 29 elections
- When
- October 31, 2023, and surrounding days
- Where
- Mjimwema, Mwanza, and other cities in Tanzania
- Why
- Protests due to exclusion of opposition candidates and government crackdown
- Date of Incident
- October 31, 2023
- Location
- Mjimwema, Mwanza, Tanzania
- Estimated Death Toll
- Hundreds to thousands
- Government Response
- Commission of inquiry established
- Internet Access
- Cut for over five days
- U.N. Human Rights Office Estimate
- At least 700 extrajudicially killed
- President
- Samia Suluhu Hassan
- Government's Stance
- Denies policy of intentional brutality