Tanzanian police have outlawed planned demonstrations scheduled for next week, days after security forces violently crushed protests triggered by disputed national elections.
The October 29 poll sparked widespread anger and multi-day unrest after opposition groups accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of manipulating the vote and orchestrating a wave of killings and disappearances targeting her critics. Hassan was declared the victor with 98 percent of the vote.
Opposition leaders and human rights groups allege that more than 1,000 people were shot dead by security forces during the crackdown. The government has yet to release an official death toll.
Despite state efforts to limit information flow, public outrage has continued to swell, with many citizens vowing to return to the streets on December 9.
In a statement issued late Friday in Swahili, police spokesperson David Misime acknowledged the circulating calls for new demonstrations but said no individual had formally notified authorities as required by law. The statement argued that “unlawful tactics that have emerged” meant the proposed rallies “no longer meet the legal requirements for authorisation.”
“Therefore, the Police Force, as of today, bans the planned demonstrations described as peaceful and indefinite,” the statement said.
Police also claimed that mobilisation for the rallies was being coordinated through phone numbers and anonymous online accounts operating both inside and outside Tanzania.
The ban comes days after Meta suspended the Instagram accounts of two Tanzanian activists who had shared images documenting the violent suppression of election protests.
International concern continues to mount. The United States has announced it will “comprehensively review” its relationship with Tanzania in the wake of the election-related violence.
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