A government-backed inquiry into the deadly violence that followed Tanzania’s October 2025 general election has found that at least 518 people were killed, offering the first official account of the unrest while immediately triggering controversy over the credibility and completeness of its findings.
The report, led by a retired chief justice, was presented on April 23, 2026, outlining months of investigations into clashes that erupted after the president was declared the winner with more than 97 percent of the vote.
According to the commission, the violence resulted in 518 confirmed deaths, with men accounting for the vast majority at 490 victims, while 2,390 people were injured, including around 800 with gunshot wounds and at least 120 police officers.
The report also points to a significant number of unresolved cases, with 245 people officially still missing, while investigators documented 39 cases in which families said they had identified bodies in morgues that later disappeared.
On one of the most contentious issues, the commission rejected allegations of mass graves, saying no evidence could substantiate the claims, and stated that some widely circulated images had been manipulated using artificial intelligence, while acknowledging that other images were authentic.
The commission described the protests as unlawful and violent, concluding they did not meet the legal threshold for peaceful assembly due to the absence of a required 48-hour police notification and because they occurred on election day.
The official death toll sharply contrasts with figures provided by opposition groups and international observers.
The main opposition party says between 1,000 and 2,000 people were killed, accusing security forces of using live ammunition against civilians and dismissing the report as an attempt to shield the government from accountability.
At the international level, the United Nations human rights office cited “harrowing reports” of security forces removing bodies from public spaces and hospitals, suggesting possible efforts to conceal the true scale of fatalities, although the commission said it could not verify such claims.
An observer mission from the Commonwealth concluded that the election failed to meet international standards, citing alleged irregularities and the use of lethal force against demonstrators.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan framed the unrest as part of a broader effort to destabilize the country, saying the violence was “coordinated, financed, and executed” by foreign actors seeking to exploit Tanzania’s resources.
She also addressed criticism of the government’s internet shutdown during the election, apologizing to the diplomatic community while defending the move as necessary for security reasons and pledging it would not be repeated.
The commission stressed that its findings are not final, describing the 518 death toll as provisional and calling for further investigations.
Among its recommendations is a comprehensive forensic firearms analysis to determine responsibility for the use of live ammunition, particularly in cases where victims were reportedly shot inside their homes.
It also called for a judicial review of hundreds of detainees, including minors, facing charges ranging from treason to terrorism in connection with the unrest.
Despite the report’s release, major questions remain unresolved, with the wide gap between official figures and independent estimates, alongside allegations of evidence suppression, suggesting the full scale of the violence may remain contested for years.
Observers say the credibility of follow-up investigations and the government’s willingness to act on recommendations will determine whether the report advances accountability or deepens political divisions.
