US Senate Calls for Investigation into Tanzania Poll Violence
Pressure is mounting on Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu as the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee demands an independent investigation into alleged human rights abuses during the recent elections.
The committee’s statement followed a CNN investigation by Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo, which exposed the government’s crackdown on protesters and alleged mass graves.
Committee Condemns Government Actions
The Senate committee described the police response as an “unacceptable attempt to cover up gross violations of human rights”. It criticized the government for disputing casualty figures reported by foreign media.
“This report underscores the disturbing actions by the Tanzanian government to suppress protestors. Evidence of mass graves shows an unacceptable attempt to cover up gross violations of human rights,” the committee said.
It further urged, “There must be an independent investigation into these tragic acts immediately.” The statement emphasized growing international concern that the scale of violence may have been significantly underreported.
Allegations Follow Controversial Election
Allegations stem from Tanzania’s October 29 General Elections, where Suluhu won re-election with 98% of the vote.
The polls triggered widespread unrest, as citizens protested what they called a rigged process. Security forces reportedly used lethal force against demonstrators, according to CNN’s open-source investigation.
Eyewitnesses claimed morgues were overwhelmed with bodies, some denied medical attention. Satellite imagery and drone footage, used due to restricted media access, suggested freshly disturbed soil at several sites, including Kondo cemetery, raising suspicions of mass graves.
Government Rejects CNN Report
Tanzania’s government rejected large portions of the CNN report, labeling it unbalanced and accusing foreign media of a smear campaign.
Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said, “These outlets failed to seek out the government to hear the other side of the story. This was a very big mistake. The government calls on CNN to exercise ethics in airing their stories and avoid sharing stories without verified sources.”
