What You Need to Know
Tanzania is experiencing an unprecedented political and human rights crisis following the controversial presidential election on October 29, 2025, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan win with 98%. Reports indicate overcrowded morgues and hidden mass graves, raising serious concerns about state violence and human rights violations amid widespread protests.
Africa. Tanzania is experiencing an unprecedented political and human rights crisis following the presidential election held on October 29, 2025, which resulted in President Samia Suluhu Hassan winning with 98%. This outcome has sparked widespread controversy both domestically and internationally.
International reports, including investigations by a local source and CNN, have revealed shocking scenes in the capital, Dar es Salaam, where morgues are overcrowded and evidence of hidden mass graves has emerged in the Kondo cemetery north of the city.
Since the announcement of the election results, large protests have erupted in Dar es Salaam and other cities, met with severe violence from security forces. Eyewitnesses reported direct gunfire on demonstrators, mass arrests, and house-to-house raids.
While authorities have reported only dozens of fatalities, field evidence suggests the number is much higher, as satellite images and video footage document recent burial sites that align with accounts of mass graves.
Bodies in Morgues
Investigations by CNN have shown that police vehicles transported large numbers of bodies to morgues, which quickly became full before being moved to secret burial sites. A report from the Southern African Development Community indicated serious human rights violations during the election period, increasing pressure on the Tanzanian government.
The main opposition has accused President Samia Hassan of using security forces to silence dissenting voices and condemned the electoral process. Human rights organizations have called for an independent international investigation, asserting that the ongoing situation constitutes crimes against humanity.
Internationally, the European Union and the United States have expressed concern, while calls within the United Nations have intensified for the matter to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
The current crisis reveals the fragility of Tanzania’s political situation, which was once considered one of the most stable in East Africa. Allegations of mass graves and overcrowded morgues reflect a deep legitimacy crisis and raise fears that continued repression could lead to social unrest or military intervention.
Additionally, the economy, already affected by declining investments, exacerbates the precarious situation.
What Are the Possible Scenarios?
Possible scenarios range from continued repression, which may result in international isolation, to an international investigation that could exert significant pressure on the government, or a political settlement through national dialogue to avoid slipping into chaos, although this option seems distant at present.
Analysts believe that what is happening in Tanzania is not merely an electoral crisis but an existential test for democracy and human rights in the country.
Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai states, “President Samia’s administration is now in damage control mode; it knows only repression as a tool of governance and is abducting and detaining hundreds.”
She adds in an interview with a local source that “the daily fear is gradually transforming into anger, and this anger is escalating into outrage,” warning of an inevitable confrontation on December 9, as opponents plan to organize a national protest against the Tanzanian government.
Tanzania, once regarded as one of East Africa’s most stable nations, is now grappling with significant political turmoil. The recent election results have sparked widespread protests, met with violent crackdowns by security forces. Historical context reveals a long-standing struggle for democratic governance and human rights in the region, with past elections often marred by allegations of fraud and repression.
The current crisis highlights deep-seated issues within Tanzania’s political landscape, where opposition voices have faced increasing suppression. The international community’s response, including calls for independent investigations, underscores the urgency of addressing these human.
