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Per the chief rival group, about 700 people have reportedly lost their lives during 72 hours of poll-related demonstrations in Tanzania.

Violence Starts on Election Day

Protests erupted on Wednesday over allegations that demonstrators labeled the stifling of the rival camp after the removal of prominent hopefuls from the presidential ballot.

Casualty Numbers Reported

An opposition spokesperson stated that hundreds of individuals had been lost their lives since the protests commenced.

"Currently, the number of deaths in the port city is around 350 and for Mwanza it is 200-plus. Combined with figures from elsewhere across the country, the final number is about 700," the spokesperson remarked.

The spokesperson noted that the number could be much higher because fatalities could be occurring during a nighttime curfew that was enforced from election day.

Other Reports

• An official source allegedly stated there had been information of more than 500 dead, "perhaps 700-800 in the nationwide."
• Amnesty International reported it had received data that no fewer than 100 people had been lost their lives.
• The opposition stated their numbers had been gathered by a group of supporters attending hospitals and health clinics and "documenting the deceased."

Appeals for Change

The opposition urged the administration to "cease harming our activists" and called for a caretaker administration to facilitate just and transparent polls.

"Halt police brutality. Uphold the will of the public which is fair elections," the official said.

Authorities Response

The government responded by imposing a restriction. Internet disruption were also reported, with international monitors reporting it was nationwide.

On Thursday, the army chief criticized the violence and referred to the protesters "lawbreakers". The official announced authorities would attempt to manage the situation.

Global Concern

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed it was "deeply concerned" by the fatalities and harm in the protests, adding it had gathered information that a minimum of 10 people had been lost their lives by security forces.

The organization stated it had obtained trustworthy information of fatalities in the port city, in Shinyanga and Morogoro, with security forces firing live ammunition and chemical irritants to break up protesters.

Expert View

An civil rights lawyer stated it was "unacceptable" for security agencies to resort to arms, stating that the country's president "ought to refrain from using the police against the public."

"The president must heed the citizens. The mood of the nation is that there was no fair vote … The people cannot elect only one option," the lawyer stated.