Tanzania Lifts Curfew Amid Ongoing Aftermath of Election Violence

Tue Nov 04 2025 21:07:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The curfew in Dar es Salaam has been lifted following severe unrest after the recent elections, which saw claims of over 800 fatalities amid protests over the election results.

In the aftermath of deadly protests related to the recently conducted elections, Tanzanian authorities have lifted a night-time curfew in Dar es Salaam. While shops and traffic are beginning to return to normal, families search for loved ones lost in the violence that ensued over the poll results. Human rights groups are calling for investigations into the reported deaths, with alternating narratives as state officials downplay the violence.

Tanzanian police have lifted a night-time curfew imposed since last Wednesday in the main city Dar es Salaam following deadly election protests, as life slowly returns to normal across the country.

Following the unrest, the internet was cut nationwide and most shops in Dar es Salaam closed amid acute shortages of basic essentials and soaring prices. Schools shut and public transport came to a halt.

On Tuesday, some shops reopened and traffic resumed but with queues persisting at some petrol stations in Dar es Salaam.

Families continue to search for or bury relatives killed in clashes between the security forces and opposition supporters who denounced the poll as a sham.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in on Monday after being declared the winner of last Wednesday's election with 98% of the vote.

Observers from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) - a regional bloc which includes Tanzania - said in a preliminary report that the election fell short of democratic standards.

The government has not given casualty figures. However, Lissu's Chadema party reported no less than 800 deaths, while a diplomatic source mentioned credible evidence of at least 500 fatalities. A doctor in Dar es Salaam reported bodies being collected by municipal services under suspicious circumstances.

Tanzanian woman Mama Kassim mourns her missing sons, voicing concern over their fate as the situation remains volatile. Human Rights Watch condemned the government's use of lethal force against protesters, urging accountability.

During her inauguration, President Samia expressed regret over the violence but noted that foreign nationals were among those arrested. The resilience and stability traditionally associated with Tanzania are now overshadowed by fears of continued unrest.