Tanzania Commission Reports 518 Postelection Deaths

TL;DR

Commission Report: A government commission reported at least 518 deaths in Tanzania's post-election violence on October 29, 2025.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/04/23/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan/02ee2966-3f16-11f1-bb46-ed564688d953_story.html)[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Injuries and Gunshots: Thousands were injured, with over 800 suffering gunshot wounds, and 197 deaths from gunshots.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Protest Findings: The commission called protests planned acts of violence that violated laws and disrupted voting.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

The story at a glance

A commission led by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman released its report on Thursday, April 23, 2026, detailing deaths and injuries from violence after Tanzania's October 29, 2025, election, which President Samia Suluhu Hassan won with 97% of the vote. The inquiry, formed by Hassan, examined protests accusing the government of silencing opposition amid an internet shutdown. This is being reported now as the first official death toll following months of conflicting claims from rights groups and the government.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/04/23/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan/02ee2966-3f16-11f1-bb46-ed564688d953_story.html)[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Key points

At least 518 people died from unnatural causes, a figure the chairman said is likely understated due to families burying victims without morgue records; 490 were male, 28 female, including 21 children and 16 security officers.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Thousands injured, more than 800 with gunshot wounds; at least 197 deaths from gunshots.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Violence erupted on election day as youth protested opposition silencing: main party leader jailed for treason, second-largest party's candidate barred.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Internet shut down for days; Hassan later apologized to diplomats and promised no repeat.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Commission ruled out mass graves alleged by rights groups; 245 people still unaccounted for, 39 families saw relatives' bodies in morgues that later vanished.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Protests deemed non-peaceful "acts of violence" for lacking 48-hour police notice and occurring on election day; described as planned by recruited, trained individuals acting simultaneously to confuse police.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)
Recommended further probe into firearm use, as witnesses reported shootings inside homes; some international observers noted the election fell short of free and fair standards.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Details and context

The violence followed the October 29, 2025, general election where Hassan, who had completed predecessor John Magufuli's term after his death, secured a second term with 97% of votes amid opposition claims of irregularities.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad) Protests centered on jailed opposition figures and candidate disqualifications, leading to clashes during an internet blackout that hindered information flow.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

The commission, established by Hassan in November 2025 and chaired by respected former Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, gathered evidence from thousands, including sworn statements and hearings.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad) It attributed violence to coordinated efforts but stopped short of naming perpetrators, focusing instead on legal violations like unnotified assemblies on polling day.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Deaths concentrated in cities like Dar es Salaam (182), Mwanza (90), Mbeya (80), and Arusha (53), per consistent reports matching the inquiry's outline.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Key quotes

"The number of deaths was likely to be higher, because some families buried their loved ones without taking their bodies to morgues." — Commission chairman Mohamed Chande Othman.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Why it matters

The report provides the government's first official casualty figures from the 2025 election unrest, amid prior rights group estimates over 1,000 deaths, highlighting tensions in Tanzania's shift toward tighter control under Hassan.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad) It means families may pursue accountability through recommended probes into shootings, while politicians and activists face scrutiny over alleged planning, affecting reconciliation efforts.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad) Watch for government response to the firearm investigation and any prosecutions, though opposition has rejected the commission's independence.[[3]](https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/tanzania-inquiry-says-over-500-killed-last-years-election-violence-2026-04-23)

What changed

Before the report, Tanzania provided no official death toll, leaving estimates from activists and rights groups ranging into the thousands. Now, the commission has confirmed at least 518 unnatural deaths, ruled protests as illegal violence, and recommended further probes. The findings were presented on April 23, 2026.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

FAQ

Q: What caused the post-election protests in Tanzania?

A: Young people protested on October 29, 2025, accusing the government of silencing opposition, with the main party leader jailed for treason and the second-largest party's candidate barred from running. The demonstrations lacked required 48-hour police notice and occurred on election day. The commission concluded they were planned by recruited individuals to confuse police.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Q: How did the government respond to the violence?

A: An internet shutdown lasted days, which President Samia Suluhu Hassan later apologized for to diplomats, promising it would not recur. Security forces clashed with protesters, leading to injuries and deaths. Hassan formed the commission in November 2025 to investigate.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Q: What does the commission say about responsibility for deaths?

A: It documented 518 deaths and over 800 gunshot injuries but did not assign blame, recommending further investigation into firearm use after witnesses reported indoor shootings. Protests were deemed non-peaceful acts of violence. Mass graves alleged by rights groups were ruled out.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)

Q: What happened in the 2025 election?

A: President Samia Suluhu Hassan won 97% of votes in her bid for a full term after finishing John Magufuli's. Some international observers said it fell short of free and fair standards. Violence broke out on voting day amid opposition suppression claims.[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/tanzania-postelection-violence-commission-samia-suluhu-hassan-659c498b7ec71a5cf8e16ce12359d8ad)