Tanzania Report Puts Death Toll at Over 500 in Post-Election Clashes

A government-appointed commission of inquiry has reported that at least 518 people were killed in violence that broke out during Tanzania's elections last October, in the first ‌official acknowledgment of the scale of the deadly unrest.

While the report provides an official casualty figure for the first time, it has shifted attention to deeper concerns about transparency, institutional trust, and competing versions of what triggered the violence.

The commission attributed responsibility for the unrest to protesters, a conclusion that has been rejected by opposition groups and questioned by rights observers who argue that the inquiry does not fully address allegations surrounding state conduct.

The findings contrast earlier estimates by the U.N. human rights office, which said hundreds were killed following the exclusion of leading opposition candidates from presidential and parliamentary elections.

 The main opposition party has maintained that the death toll may be in the thousands, reflecting continued uncertainty over the true scale of fatalities.

Tanzanian authorities had previously declined to release official figures, ⁠saying they were awaiting the commission’s report after it was appointed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in November. The government has denied allegations by human rights organisations that security forces used excessive force during the unrest.

Speaking during the handover of the report, commission chair Mohamed Chande Othman said the death toll could be higher due to challenges in identifying victims. He also said the panel did not assign responsibility to law enforcement and instead recommended the formation of a separate criminal investigation body to examine specific incidents.

Chande said the commission had “indisputable evidence” that the violence was organised and funded by “trained people,” though he did not identify those allegedly involved.

“Organisers used various techniques, including using people without deep understanding and desperate youth, while ‌encouraging ⁠simultaneous acts of violence across different locations," he said.

President Hassan, who was declared winner of the election with nearly 98% of the vote, has said the unrest was an attempt to overthrow her government and alleged foreign involvement, without providing evidence publicly.

The commission’s report has not been released in full, with Hassan describing it as “the property of the president,” a position that has intensified debate over access to public information and accountability.

Opposition party CHADEMA rejected the findings, arguing that a government accused of abuses cannot credibly investigate itself, further escalating mistrust between political actors and state institutions.

The report also references allegations of shootings in homes and commercial areas, including in Mwanza. Reuters investigations previously found that police officers killed more than a dozen unarmed young men at a cafe far from any protest activity, alongside other reported incidents in different cities.

The government has maintained that security forces acted within the law and said many allegations were based on unverified or out-of-context information.