Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, was eerily deserted on Tuesday as an overwhelming security presence deterred planned anti-government demonstrations sparked by deadly election violence in October.
The police had banned the rallies last week, following the violent crackdown that accompanied the October 29 election.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98 percent of the vote, a result the opposition rejects, accusing the government of orchestrating widespread vote rigging and unleashing a campaign of killings and abductions targeting critics.
Opposition groups claim more than 1,000 people were killed over several days as security forces moved against protesters under what they describe as a “shoot-to-kill” directive. The government has not released any official casualty figures.
The crackdown has continued in the weeks since. Hundreds have reportedly been arrested and charged with treason—an offence that carries the death penalty—further heightening public fear.
Tuesday marked Tanzania’s Independence Day, but the government had already cancelled national celebrations, wary that the day could be used to reignite protests. On Monday, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba urged citizens to remain indoors and “use the day for rest.”
By morning, Dar es Salaam—normally bustling with cars, traders, and commuters—was nearly empty. AFP reporters described a city under watch, with heavily armed security forces dominating streets that would typically be alive with movement and commerce.
