Protests over Tanzania’s disputed presidential election have entered the third day, with reports indicating hundreds of people may have been killed following the accompanying violence.
Following the election, protests started to gather in the East African nation on Wednesday, leading the government to impose internet access restrictions and impose a curfew in the capital city of Dar es Salaam.
In eight of the 272 constituencies that were counted, President Samia Hassan received 96.99 percent of the votes, according to the electoral body’s announcement on Thursday.
The announcement sparked widespread unrest as people protested purported anomalies in the streets.
A diplomatic source in Tanzania told the BBC on Friday that there was reliable proof that at least 500 people had perished.
According to other sources, there may have been as many as 700 fatalities.
Following the rising death toll, Tanzania’s chief of defence, Jacob Mkunda, advised the populace to put an end to the protest.
“Some people went to the streets on 29 October and committed criminal acts. These are criminals, and the criminal acts should be stopped immediately,” Mkunda said on Thursday, adding that the army had “controlled the situation”.
Journalists and human rights groups have not been able to check the reports of deaths because of the internet shutdown. Although, Reuters have confirmed a heavy military and police presence in the streets of Dar es Salaam.
