Documentation of Police Actions During Tanzanian Post-Election Protests

Following Tanzania's presidential and parliamentary elections in October, widespread protests occurred across the country. These demonstrations, primarily organized by young people, began in Dar es Salaam on October 29 and extended to other regions.

Election Context and Reported Casualties

Several opposition leaders were arrested or barred from contesting the elections, and a number of activists were detained. Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner after the electoral commission reported she received 98% of the vote.

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has indicated reports of hundreds of fatalities, with numerous individuals injured or detained during the protests. A diplomatic source in Tanzania provided information suggesting at least 500 deaths.

Information Control and Verification

For approximately one week, a near-total internet blackout was imposed by the government, which also issued warnings against sharing protest videos. Following the lifting of this block on November 4, numerous videos depicting violent scenes became available online.

BBC Verify analyzed, geolocated, and confirmed several of these videos to provide a clearer understanding of the police response.

Documented Incidents of Police Response

The verified footage shows protests predominantly involving groups of young men in various cities, including Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha. Police units confronted protesters, employing tear gas to disperse crowds. Gunfire was audible in multiple videos as individuals scattered.

Dar es Salaam Incidents:

• Morogoro Road: Videos documented two bodies near St Andrew's Anglican Church, one with visible head wounds and blood. Additional bodies were observed along the same road segment and adjacent streets, with one later shown wrapped in a white shroud.
• Open University of Tanzania: Footage captured a motionless body with a head wound, subsequently covered and transported towards a group of armed police officers by individuals chanting.
• Nelson Mandela Road: Police vehicles were observed pursuing groups of people, with multiple rounds of gunfire audible.
• Kijitonyama Area: Two individuals in green uniforms, consistent with Tanzanian police attire, were filmed aiming and firing along a main road near a school. Less than 100 meters away, a man was shown on the street with a bloody head wound, with shouts indicating a headshot.
• Sam Nujoma Road: Three individuals in civilian clothing were filmed discharging firearms near a saloon car. Their affiliation was not clarified.

Mwanza Incidents:

• Sekou Toure Hospital: Videos from election day showed a compilation of 10 bodies, appearing to be young men, within the hospital grounds. Some bodies displayed visible open wounds. Other footage from within the hospital depicted bodies arranged in what appeared to be a morgue.

Arusha Incidents:

• Footage showed a police vehicle passing a crowd, followed by gunshots and people dispersing. Another video depicted an injured man reported to have been shot.
• A verified video captured a woman falling after shots were fired, with blood visible on her clothing, while another individual attempted to assist her.

Use of Live Rounds

Audio analysis conducted by Earshot, audio forensics experts, confirmed the presence of shockwaves in the audio from the scenes. This indicates the use of live rounds, as rubber bullets typically do not travel at supersonic speeds to produce such shockwaves.