Reuters
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Police and soldiers were called into action in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, on Tuesday to try to stop protests called by activists who condemned the violent crackdown on demonstrations before and after October elections.
The government said any protests on Tuesday, the anniversary of mainland Tanzania’s independence from Britain in 1961, constituted a coup attempt and urged people to stay at home.
Presidential and parliamentary elections on October 29 sparked the worst political violence in Tanzania’s post-independence history. The United Nations estimates that hundreds of people died.
Residents told Reuters police and military were patrolling Dar es Salaam’s main streets to check the identities of people attempting to travel.
A resident and activists on social media said small protests had begun in some parts of the city, but authorities said the situation appeared to be calming as of late morning. This could not be immediately confirmed.
A police spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Hassan won the new election with nearly 98% of the vote after major opposition candidates were barred from running.
She pledged last month to investigate election-related violence, but has repeatedly denied that security forces acted improperly.
UN human rights experts said last week that at least 700 people are estimated to have been extrajudicially killed in the violence.
The government has acknowledged that people have died, but has not released its own death toll.
The United States announced last week that it was reviewing its relationship with Tanzania, citing concerns about violence against civilians, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and barriers to investment.
In the months leading up to the election, opposition leaders and human rights activists accused the government of being behind the disappearance of dozens of critics.
Hassan said last year he had ordered an investigation into the reported abduction, but no results had been released.
