At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Tanzania following three consecutive days of violent protests triggered by the country’s disputed presidential election results.
Naija News reports that the unrest broke out on Wednesday, shortly after the announcement of results favouring the incumbent, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
The protests erupted across major cities, including Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, after opposition candidates were allegedly disqualified, detained, or denied access to polling materials.
As tension escalated, the Tanzanian government moved to shut down internet access, impose a nationwide curfew, and ban foreign journalists from covering the ongoing crisis.
According to reports by AFP, the main opposition party, Chadema, claimed that more than 700 demonstrators were killed in clashes with security forces.
“As we speak, the overall figure for death is around 700.
In Dar es Salaam alone, over 350 lives have been lost, and about 200 in Mwanza,” said John Kitoka, spokesperson of Chadema.
Meanwhile, the chaos in Tanzania spilled into celebrity headlines after Nigerian influencer Priscilla Ojo, wife of Tanzanian singer Juma Jux, debunked viral claims that her husband’s luxury fashion store was burned down during the protests.
A post by an X (Twitter) user, Bolaji Fesomade, had alleged that the store — reportedly worth over $780 million — was “set ablaze and completely destroyed” by protesters.
However, Priscilla Ojo took to Snapchat on Thursday to set the record straight, saying that while some items were looted, the store was not destroyed by fire.
“Yes, there was unrest, and a few things were stolen, but the store itself wasn’t burnt. Jux is fine and everything is under control,” she clarified.
The growing death toll and suppression of media coverage have sparked widespread concern from human rights groups and foreign observers, who are calling for international intervention and accountability from the Tanzanian government.
As of press time, security forces remain heavily deployed in several parts of the country, while communication lines remain restricted.
