A full year after the deadly post-election violence that shook Tanzania, grieving families are still desperately seeking answers and accountability. A government-backed inquiry previously recorded 518 deaths from unnatural causes, primarily gunshot wounds, alongside thousands of injuries, though independent monitors believe the true casualty toll is significantly higher.

In Mwanza, Tanzania's second-largest city, a relative identified as Raha for safety reasons shared the lingering pain of losing the nephew she raised during the October 2025 election protests. She expressed deep frustration that the government has failed to offer even a basic apology or official condolences to the families shattered by the crackdown.

The unrest erupted following a heavily contested electoral cycle marked by the systematic exclusion of the political opposition, notably the arrest and treason charges brought against Chadema leader Tundu Lissu. Protesters took to the streets demanding comprehensive political reforms and the resignation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

While an official commission chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman documented widespread fatalities, it stopped short of identifying individual officers or commanders responsible for the bloodshed. Subsequent open-source investigations and human rights reports have presented compelling evidence of excessive and unlawful force used by specialized police units against both protesters and bystanders.

Source: www.dw.com