Tanzania police ban planned rallies after election violence

Tanzanian police have stopped planned street protests expected to take place next week, following deadly clashes that broke out after last month’s elections.

The October 29 polls led to days of unrest, as opposition groups accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of rigging the vote and ordering attacks on critics. She was declared the winner with 98 percent of the vote.

Opposition figures and human rights groups say more than 1,000 people were killed by security forces during the protests. The government has not released any official figures.

Despite a crackdown on information, many citizens have continued to show anger online, calling for fresh demonstrations on December 9.

In a statement released late Friday, police spokesperson David Misime said no person or group had formally applied for permission to hold the rally. He said the planned demonstration was not in line with the law.

“Given the unlawful tactics that have surfaced, the rally no longer meets the legal requirements,” the statement said. “The Police Force hereby bans the proposed demonstrations described as peaceful and indefinite.”

The police also claimed that calls for the protest were being pushed by people both inside and outside Tanzania, including anonymous online accounts.

Earlier in the week, Meta suspended the Instagram pages of two Tanzanian activists after they shared images showing the violence during the protests.

The United States has said it is reviewing its relationship with Tanzania following the election crisis.