A coalition of Western nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway and 13 European countries, has issued a strongly worded joint statement raising alarm over the deadly aftermath of Tanzania’s recent elections.
The group cited disturbing reports of killings, disappearances and widespread human rights violations in the days following the vote.
The statement was signed by the British and Canadian High Commissions and the embassies of Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the EU Delegation.
The countries said they “deeply regret” the loss of life and the many injuries reported across the country.
They referenced earlier remarks by the EU High Representative on November 2, as well as a joint statement issued on October 31 by the foreign ministers of Canada, Norway and the UK, all of which expressed concern about the election’s conduct and the violent crackdown that followed.
Quoting “credible reports from domestic and international organisations,” the missions pointed to evidence of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and attempts to hide bodies.
“We recall the government’s desire for peace and stability, and underline the importance of security forces acting with maximum restraint,” the statement read.
The countries urged Tanzanian authorities to release the bodies of those killed to their families, free all political prisoners, and ensure that detainees receive both legal and medical support.
They also called on the government to implement recommendations from the African Union and SADC’s preliminary election reports, which flagged “clear shortcomings” in the electoral process.
“We welcome the government’s recognition that understanding the root causes and circumstances of the violence, including deaths, is a vital step towards justice and reconciliation,” the missions added, stressing that any inquiry must be independent, transparent and inclusive of civil society, religious groups and all political actors.
The joint statement comes just days after President Samia Suluhu delivered a sharp message of her own regarding the unrest.
In a national address earlier this week, Samia dismissed the violence as a foreign-backed plot designed to undermine Tanzania’s long-standing stability. She claimed outsiders were “irritated by Tanzania’s peace” and accused them of attempting to “destroy this country after destroying their own.”
The President also sent condolences to families who lost loved ones, saying that “when one Tanzanian sheds blood, we all feel the pain.”
She further alleged—without providing evidence—that young people had been paid to take to the streets after October’s disputed election.
“These were not protests, it was violence with malicious intentions,” she said, insisting the events were orchestrated to bring down her government.
She further defended the use of force by security agencies, calling it “proportional to the event.”
Meanwhile, opposition party CHADEMA has claimed that more than 2,000 people were killed during the post-election violence.
The government has however dismissed those figures as “hugely exaggerated” and has yet to provide an official death toll, focusing instead on incidents of property destruction.
